The Sun Goddess?
by Crazy Danae
Summary: Inspired by KentCharm's beginning, Crazy Danae continues the story with some revamping of the beginning. Hope you enjoy it! Reviews are appreciated! Epilogue. Thank you for your patience. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:** KentCharm started this intriguing little story, but finishing it wasn't going to happen. So it was opened up for someone to take the storyline and go with it. I've been given permission, so I'm going to keep a lot of the original in (if sometimes only in spirit), but I'll be doing a ton of other stuff. Maybe drag it out a little more… And I can see this being a character set I would be interested in doing multiple stories on… This will also be my first attempt at a First-Person story viewpoint. Please be kind with the reviews… but please review… at least until I seem to get the hang of it. ;D_

_**Disclaimer:** I own nothing of Smallville or it's characters. This is just a celebration of my normal enjoyment of Smallville._

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Chapter 1

A deep sigh escaped me as the last golden ray of sunlight disappeared over the horizon. In some ways, this was the best part of the day. Watching the night slowly darken, I sat on the roof outside my bedroom window. Dad doesn't know about this, but sometimes it's the best place to take it all in. With the silence all around me, I realized that normally I'd be working at the Torch or typing on my laptop at the Talon at this point. But when the Torch just fell together so easily this issue, I decided to take a night just for myself… to get centered and to help ward away the niggling cold I'd been fighting for weeks. Another sigh escaped me as the reds in the sky faded to a midnight blue. When a chill breeze hit my bare arms, a shiver shook me and I had to get back inside.

But I still didn't have anything I _had_ to do. I sat at the vanity and brushed my hair. I paid attention to the sensations and moaned in pleasure. I don't often get to take a whole evening to just pamper myself and I just was really enjoying it. My guilt level was only at its lowest hum, so it was fabulous. I didn't have any outstanding homework assignments… Clark had actually gotten his article done on time and submitted with a minimum of nagging. How could it be better? Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a relaxed smile cross my face. I took a moment to closely examine myself. _Those Crest White Strips are really doing their job!_ I thought to myself. It was interesting that I'd never considered myself attractive, but I had to admit that there was something engaging about my face. My eyes always seemed to contain a twinkle. My grin stretched my cheeks. I had nice lips, not too full but not too thin. I turned to the side and had to admit my nose wasn't cute and petite, but privately thought that wouldn't fit with the rest of my face. I may not be "Lana-beautiful", but I'm no barker, either!

I put those thoughts out of my mind and decided to finish my relaxation plan. I pulled out my yoga mat, turned on that meditation music Clark gave me last Christmas, settled down and just let my mind idle. It was so foreign to me that it took me a couple of minutes to just get the hang of it. Finally, I decided to focus on the one thing that would take my mind off everything else… Clark. Clark in various poses around the farm… Our first meeting… Our one and only kiss… As I breathed deeply, it was lovely to hear the fall sounds through my slightly open window. As much as I love Metropolis, this area around Smallville had its own special allure.

Just as the music was about to end, I felt this warm rush of something hit my skin and it streamed into my lungs. I would have been worried if it hadn't enhanced my feelings of relaxation. It obviously had to be the furnace kicking on. My state of mind was so pleasant, I didn't even bother opening my eyes and I crawled into bed. I could have found my way around my room blindfolded, so it really wasn't a problem. I'd already set my alarm, so I didn't need to worry about that. I just pulled my comforter up around my shoulders. As I slowly faded off, I couldn't believe how warm and cozy I felt even though it was October.

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When I woke up in the morning, I hadn't even snoozed my alarm clock half a dozen times… Usually Dad had to come up and bang on my door to give me enough time to get ready for school. But the sun was just starting to make its appearance and I realized that this was the earliest I'd ever woken up. But something else was nagging at me… Something else that seemed wrong somehow… And then I realized. I didn't feel groggy. I didn't have a caffeine withdrawal headache. I wasn't craving my coffee at all. I shook my head in wonder. Maybe that relaxation night was better for me than I thought.

I leisurely put together my school things and then went and took a shower. I had a hard time keeping the temperature regulated like I wanted, but I finally got it done. I was actually surprised at how foggy it was in the bathroom when I was done but shrugged it off as being a result of sleeping with the window open. I wrapped a towel around my hair and another around my body and slowly meandered down the hall to my bedroom. I could hear Dad banging around in his room, so I knew we'd both be on time today.

When I sat down at my vanity, something shiny totally captured my attention. Around my neck was a shining choker necklace with a fabulous sun amulet that looked like it could have been burning. _Where in the world did this come from?_ I thought, extremely puzzled. Finally, I had to shrug. Maybe Dad had snuck in last night and put it on me so I'd be surprised this morning. However, it wasn't something I'd normally wear to school, so I twirled the chain around my neck to find the fastener. But, even though I could feel the chain rotating around my neck, I never seemed to get to the back. Finally, I put a finger on one spot and rotated the chain entirely around. There was absolutely no disconnection spot. I pulledon it gingerly, but it seemed to be as solid as steel.

I continued to puzzle about it, but finally decided it was too nice to really pull at it and possibly destroy. I really felt drawn to it. After a while, I stopped fiddling with the chain and just stared at the amulet. I stared at it so long that my eyes started to do funny things… At least I hope so because it seemed to start to flicker. I realized then that if I didn't get busy then I would totally be late for school.

I reached for my make-up and took a good look at myself… and then I looked again. It looked like my skin was shinier, with a little more color, and like it had bits of glitter on it. I touched one of the sparkles and tried to rub it off. Nothing seemed to help, so I just shrugged. Finally a reason _not_ to put on foundation. My skin looked great! I vowed to myself that I would take more relaxation nights if my looks improved so dramatically each time. I smiled happily. This wasn't going to take as long as I'd thought. I brushed a bit of green and gold eye shadow on and my eyes seemed to glow. I brushed on a little lip gloss and had to shake my head. This was the least amount of make-up I or any of my friends had ever thought about putting on for school. What a great morning!

I pulled the towel off my head so I could address my trouble hair and did another double-take. I had to snark to myself that I hoped I wasn't developing a tick. My hair seemed less damp than it should have and it was like I'd put deep golden highlights in it. It was so healthy looking that I only put a little product on it and blew it dry very casually. If my body wanted to be nice to me... who was I to argue?

"Chloe! You're going to be late for school!" Dad bellowed up the stairs. I looked in shock at the clock. Was it really that late? Had I wasted nearly three hours doing nearly nothing except look at myself and my new jewelry? I took a deep breath to rein in any possible panic. I felt strong, energetic and this was the best I'd looked without putting hours into my hair and make-up. I grabbed some black pants and an olive top that just complemented everything good that had happened to me in the night. I threw on some slinky shoes to go with how sexy I felt and tripped down the stairs.

Dad was sitting in the kitchen, gulping his morning java and skimming the newspaper. "There's still some coffee in the pot, sweetie," he said smilingly, even though he didn't look at me.

I looked at the pot and thought about it. I loved the smell of coffee and how Dad and I always had our bonding moments over it, but I just didn't feel like it this morning. "Not today, Daddy. I'm going to be late."

Dad finally looked at me and I realized that the double-takes I was doing earlier seemed to be contagious. "Honey, you look great!"

I laughed at how shocked he looked and sounded. "Don't sound so surprised, Daddy. I do occasionally look amazing!"

He looked slightly chagrined until he noticed my playful grin. "And you don't want any coffee?" He got up and felt my forehead. I wondered briefly why his skin felt so cool against my forehead. "You feel like you're running a fever. Maybe that explains it! Maybe I should keep you home from school."

I jerked back like I'd been burned. "Daddy! You can't be serious? I feel fine and I'm not going to waste such a good fashion day at home!" Then I saw his secret smile and giggled. "Hoisted on my own petard, hmmm, Dad?"

We laughed together before we both ran to our daily grind.

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I quickly parked my car before practically running into school. My energy level wasn't decreasing and I wanted to share it with my friends. Seeing Pete trudge in with a café mocha in his hand, I knew he'd be the first victim of perky Chloe. I ran up to him and grabbed his arm so we could walk into the building together. "Hey there, handsome!" I chirped, seeing his tired eyes turn to look at me. "Hey? Did you have a late study night or something?"

"Hot date," he drawled. But then the message from his eyes obviously hits his brain and he pulled us to a stop. "You look different," he murmured. He looked me up and down and I released him to do a little twirl. "Did you chug down a pot of coffee or something? You know, all that caffeine will kill you some day…"

"None of the above, my friend! That relaxation night I'd planned did miracles! I feel like a million bucks."

"_You look like a trillion,_" he said. But I had to blink extra hard because it didn't seem like his lips were tracking with his voice. "_I wish I had the nerve…_"

I laughed. "Nerve for what, Pete! You're one of the bravest guys I know!"

He stoped dead in his tracks again. "I didn't say that, Chlo." He looked at me in concern. "Are you feeling okay?" He put his hand on my forehead and drew it back quickly. "Chloe, you're burning up!"

I shook my head in frustration. "You and my dad. I feel great! Maybe it's because I took a hot shower today." Suddenly my mind had visions of a possible me in a shower and I felt a little creepy. When the vision cleared, I looked up and Clark was walking toward us. I wanted to jump straight into his arms and then wondered where _that_ had come from. It was no secret between me and myself that I loved Clark, but he so rarely showed any kind of interest in me that I hadn't had the nerve to pursue him.

"Hey, Pete," the man of my dreams said and then looked at me. I wondered if it was just my imagination or if his eyes really had widened when he really saw me. "Hey, Chlo!"

"_Chloe is so sexy…_" Pete said and I could have smacked him for saying that in front of Clark.

"Pete!" I exclaimed, hitting him on the shoulder. When they both looked at me like I'd grown an extra head, I got a little confused.

"What'd I do?" he protested, holding his hands up in defense. I glared at him but then realized that they both looked as if they really didn't know what I was saying.

"_Is that Sullivan?_" "_Man, I'd love to tap that!_" "_I always knew Chloe was cute, but she looks fantastic!_" "_Why is she wasting her time with those two losers?_" "_I wish I was as confident as Chloe..._" "_Can't let my boyfriend see her or I'll be single again!_" I felt like everyone was shouting straight in my ears and looked around frantically. The words continued, but I didn't see one person's mouth move. I started to tremble and my knees felt weak. Before I could collapse to the floor, Clark had me in his arms.

"Pete, let's get her to the nurse," he was saying above me and I wondered why I felt so peaceful there.

I looked up at him and wanted to kiss him senseless in front of everyone. But I knew I didn't need the nurse. "Clark, I'm fine. It just got really noisy in here." As I focused on him, the voices seemed to retreat and I sighed in relief. "Maybe you two could just take me to the Torch?"

Clark looked at me severely, but nodded in agreement. Pete cleared the way for us while Clark carried me down the hall. I wanted to say I could walk, but the feeling of being totally cared for by Clark Kent was too intoxicating for me to give up so soon. I knew we were being stared at, but none of us really noticed as we delved deeper into the school. Before I knew it, Clark was laying me gently on the extra couch that I'd been able to finagle from the teacher advisor we'd had last year.

I just reclined for a moment and had to wonder exactly what was going on. Where did all those voices come from? Was I losing my mind? Clark snapped me out of my reverie by laying his hand on my forehead. "Are you okay, Chloe?" He looked so concerned that I could have wept for joy.

"I just got a little overwhelmed, Clark," I said honestly and moved to sit up. He looked like he wanted to protest, but decided it wasn't worth the argument.

"You didn't go in the cave again, did you?" he asked in concern.

"Why in the world would you assume that I had?" I wondered. I could have felt persecuted, but they looked so worried that I wanted to reassure them both. After all, they were my very best friends.

My eyes were resting on Pete's face when I heard "_If I didn't want to ruin our friendship, I'd ask her out._" I was a bit shocked, but that was nothing to the panic I felt when I realized that he hadn't moved his mouth at all.

I blinked compulsively for a minute and leaned back against the couch. Clark jumped on that sign of weakness like a dog with a bone. "Chloe? Are you okay?" He held my hand in concern and I could only stare at him with my mouth gaping open.

_Am I okay? Am I okay?_ The words ran around and around in my head. Suddenly, what was happening hit me. I was hearing everyone's thoughts. I looked at Clark and then Pete and realized I couldn't tell them. It would only freak them out and I couldn't bear it if our friendship was ruined by what was probably just my imagination. After all, Pete hadn't seemed that interested in me before. Why would he start thinking that now…?

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A/N: So this is my first chapter. I must be really inspired by this because this chapter is soooo long! ;D **_

_This is going to be fun, KentCharm! Thanks for letting me take it on!_


	2. Chapter 2 Prologue

_**A/N:** Holy crap! All of a sudden I went from hearing Pete's thoughts to meeting Trinity and Willow! I could have sworn I'd written more of a transition between the two sections, but I have no idea where it went! I will make sure that I am very clear which chapter is new. I'm so sorry! Oy vey! It'll be really short, but it'll bridge between the two. As a further apology, Chapter 3 will also be up today._

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Chapter 2 – Prologue

"Clark, I'm fine," I said slowly.

He put his hand on my forehead and, for a brief moment, I wanted to lean into it. "You're feeling kinda' warm, Chlo. Are you sure?"

I shrugged."I just… Maybe my meditation program last night has put me into hyper-caffeine withdrawal? I don't know. I'll be fine, I'm sure." Clark definitely looked like he didn't believe me, which was fine because I wasn't sure I believed myself. The easiest explanation was the most insane… and I wasn't ready to go insane yet. We heard the door knock and Pete went to go answer it while Clark kept hold of my hand. I hardly paid any attention to anything other than that feeling. It almost seemed to speak to me. When I heard Lana's voice at the door, I thought I was going to scream in agony. I flipped a hand up with an exasperated "Fine!" because I knew at any moment, Clark would be letting go of my hand and focusing all of his attention on Lana.

But then I noticed something that seemed too odd for words. It wasn't that Clark hadn't let go of my hand yet.It was that it was quiet _and_ Lana and Pete hadn't appeared at our sides immediately upon her entering. Clark had been watching me, but I think we both realized something was wrong at the same time. We turned around and saw the strangest sight. Lana was in mid-pace while Pete had his mouth open, obviously starting to say something. I got up at the same time Clark did and we bumped together awkwardly. I would have fallen back on the couch if he hadn't steadied me. I thought I would pass out with all the pornographic thoughts that ran through my mind at the incidental contact, but now just wasn't the time.

Slowly, we edged toward our friends. I reached out a hand to touch them, but Clark held me back. "What if they're poisoned or something, Chloe. Let me do it." Before I could say anything, he had his hand on Pete's. I thought it was odd that he didn't choose Lana, but decided _that_ wasn't the thing I wanted to comment on. Thankfully, nothing had happened to him.

I was totally exasperated. "Clark! If you had frozen or collapsed, I wouldn't have been able to move you or drag you to safety! You should have just let me…"

"I couldn't risk it, Chloe." I would have demanded an explanation on that, but he distracted me again with his observations. "The weird thing is that he's only slightly warm, but his skin is rock hard. I don't know if we can move him."

Puzzled, I slid between the two. What I saw out in the hallway was enough to make me want to throw up. Everyone was in some sort of weird stasis. Papers were hanging in midair as if held up by string. What was worse was Joe Perkins. Hehad been jumping over something when… _whatever_ had happened. He was defying the law of gravity with no signs of dropping any time soon.

What I really couldn't figure out was why Clark and I were still moving. I would love to have some romantic thoughts like this was Fate's way of putting us together, but that didn't make any sort of logical sense. I was just about to duck back inside my apparently safe office when I saw something that made my blood run chill. Two girls our age were searching around the hallway. I almost ducked out of the way in time, but they noticed me and started coming toward the Torch.

As fast as I could, I was back in the office. "Clark, do you think we can get Lana and Pete out of the way? We need to shut the door!"

"Chloe, what's wrong?" He looked at me with his soulful eyes that I would have happily drowned in had I not felt such urgency. It's not that I felt danger precisely, but if they found us, my life would never be the same. I just knew it.

"Clark, now is not the time to ask questions. We need to…" I trailed off as the girls slid inside the door. I backed up into Clark, trembling a little.

"Okay, who did this?" demanded the darker of the two girls.

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A/N: If you feel the need for an author's justification, I think I've figured out what happened to me. I was reading the original to make it semi-close and I think I just read it and figured I wrote it. I honestly don't think I can blame it on my word processing program. I've looked everywhere for a handwritten copy or another saved copy and it's not there. I'm so embarrassed.**_

_So, I'm not going to respond to all the great reviews in this one, but in Chapter 3. I'll also put a reminder in that ya'll need to read this chapter… especially if you felt the disjointed bit between Chapters 1 and 2. Thanks for putting up with me!_


	3. Chapter 2

_**A/N:** Oh my goodness! The outpouring of goodwill has both amazed and warmed the cockles of my soul! Thank you so much for your warm reception of this story!_

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Chapter 2

I stared at them in shock. They had a valid question, but I didn't know how to answer. Strange things had been happening to me all day, but I didn't know if I'd done my own version of life pause.

"What do you mean, 'Who did this?'" Clark demanded, maneuvering his way to block me from their view.

But neither of the girls was paying attention to him. Their attention was fixated on my neck and I felt surprisingly vulnerable. But I wasn't scared. In fact, it seemed like they were familiar to me somehow. "Trinity," thebrunette girl smiled, "are you not paying any sort of attention? Our sister's right here!"

They started toward me, but Clark shoved me protectively behind him. "Chloe's an only child," he said belligerently. "She can't be your sister."

I smiled at his back. He was so determined to save everyone from all hurts and injuries… when he noticed them. But he could never be faulted with trying to protect us at all times. "Clark, it's okay," I said softly. I came around him and put my hand on his arm.

He looked at me in shock. "Do you know these two?"

I smiled at him. "Not a clue in the world, but I don't think they want to hurt us… not if they call me their sister." He looked at me and then at my hand. When his eyes met mine again, the worry was still there. He opened his mouth to say something but his eyes suddenly rolled in his head and he fell to the ground with a thud. I lifted my eyes in shock from his collapsed body just in time to see the black haired girl drop her arm and slump against her friend.

"Trinity, are you okay?" the brunette asked and guided her friend to my couch. I wanted to demand why they were there, but I was also concerned for the other girl.

She sat gasping on my couch for fully a minute before she was recovered enough to answer her friend. "Willow, I'm fine. It just took more energy than it should have." They looked at each other meaningfully for another minute before my patience finally snapped.

"Great," I snarked. "You're fine. That doesn't explain what you did to Clark and my other friends! I think I deserve an explanation or I'm going to unleash some Lana-Fu on your butt!"

"Excuse me?" Trinity asked in shock.

"Did I stutter?" I asked challengingly, altering my stance so that I could carry out my threat if I needed to. We were both startled by soft chuckles coming from Willow.

"L-l-l-l-an-n-n-n-a-Fu?" she gulped. Trinity also started to laugh and I had to smile.

I shrugged. "It's a name I came up with for the skills Lana seems to be able to defeat off crazy people and horny football players with. It seemed to fit."

We grinned at each other moronically for awhile. I took the time to view the two girls' appearance. Trinity seemed rather dark in her tastes. Her clothes were all dark with the occasional burst of white or the random color. Her black hair hung halfway down her back and I noticed that her eyes sparkled when she smiled. If it hadn't been for her make-up, she might have faded into the background because her skin was such a flawless ivory. Willow seemed more hippy-like in her clothing tastes. Everything had natural colors and seemed to be of natural fibers. Her burnished brown hair only reached her shoulders, but her most striking quality was her vibrant green eyes. They seemed to burst out of her face that was that perfectly healthy cream. They each had an amulet in the same style of mine. Trinity's was in the shape of a crescent moon and Willow's was in the shape of a leaf. They seemed to perfectly capture the two girls and what I could suss out of their personalities.

If it hadn't had been for my recent sleep makeover, I would have felt extremely dowdy beside them. But now I felt as if I could hold my own. Thankfully, the laughter had dissipated the tension, but I still wanted answers. "You were going to tell me about what you did to Clark," I said firmly, wanting to communicate that I wasn't going to be dodged for much longer.

Trinity looked at me for a long moment. Then she smiled. "The short answer is that you're a goddess, Chloe."

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A/N: If you're wondering why this chapter is so short when the first one was so long… Well, it's because I made myself an outline and that this seemed a good place to stop. I'm absolutely positive that I'll have longer chapters, but I'm trying to be structured to help myself keep on track. We'll see… **_

_MarkMark261: You totally tapped it! I was totally channeling Buffy toward the end of the first chapter. It totally made me happy! At least I didn't do the "You're all going to die on Friday!" type of thing… ;D_

_As always, thanks for your proofing notes. Sometimes I have the hardest time sticking with past tense… and this is my first first-person fic like I've said. Sometimes it's harder than I would have imagined. When I first started writing it, I was a paragraph and a half through it before I realized just what the heck I was doing._

_I hope I can keep up the two fics. This one has caught my attention, but I'm so close to the end of the other that I can totally taste it! I've always bragged about my multi-tasking abilities, so I've decided to challenge myself! ;D_

_ElDani: I'm curious myself where I'm going to go with this. Like I said earlier, I've got an outline, but sometimes the stories just take themselves out of my control. I'm hoping this will be an enjoyable experience for us all._

_I'll be totally honest at this moment. I'm a Chlarker. I think they have great chemistry and I would love to see what started at the end of Season 1 crop back up and flourish. Unfortunately, I'm fairly certain that the PTB won't allow that to happen, so I get to fantasize. That being said, there will be a certain amount of semi-romance in here… maybe a kiss or two. But that wasn't the main focus of this story. I'm hoping that it'll be acceptable to you. ;D_

_BabyC2003: When KentCharm put the notice out that the story wasn't going to continue, I knew I had to take it up if I got permission. (I don't normally snag from other people's stuff.) It was too good a beginning to let it die! ;D_

_KentCharm: That was the review I was dying for! I'm so glad you like my version of your story! I was a little worried that you wouldn't like what I did with it. It's such a weight off my shoulders!_

_Spaceboi's Pixie: I got such a response with the first chapter that I couldn't delay the submission of the second chapter._

_iluvsmallville1: So, is this fast enough for you? The next day? ;D_


	4. Chapter 3

_**A/N:** I am so embarrassed. Somehow I skipped a whole section between Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. I have theories on how it happened, but it sounds more like excuses than anything. So I entered in a "Chapter 2 Prologue" to address the gap. Please forgive me for the snafu! When I noticed it, I thought I was going to die of embarrassment! Oy vey!_

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Chapter 3

I had to laugh. "I'm a goddess? Are you sure about that? 'Cause I could have sworn I was a teenage newspaper editor who's getting the run-around from two strangers."

"We didn't do anything to your friends…Trinity only put Clark to sleep. You did the rest." Willow looked at me earnestly. "Can't you feel the connection between us? Can't you feel that we're not lying to you?"

I looked at her, and with her reaction, I'm sure I had my "I can see right through your little games" look on. My eyes were drawn again to their necklaces… so similar to mine. I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind. "Where did you get those?"

Willow smiled. "They represent the goddesses we are. I'm the Goddess of Earth and Trinity is the Goddess of the Moon."

My laugh came out with too much snort, but I couldn't help myself. "You honestly want me to believe that you're goddesses of elements and, I'm guessing, that I'm supposed to be as well."

Trinity cocked her eyebrow at me like I was being a difficult student. "We want you to believe it because it's true. Strange things have been happening to you all day. We're here to explain them a bit."

I would have retorted right away, but then the memories of hearing others' thoughts _and_ the fact that neither of them had been in sight when everyone had frozen came into my head. I looked at them in shock and collapsed into my chair. "How would you know…?"

Trinity smiled. "Because it happened to all of us at one point or another. And while I'm sure that you think we're your fellow students, we are actually quite older than that. We've been waiting for you for a very long time."

I shook my head. "How can I be a g… goddess? That's not logical!"

"There's nothing logical about this, Chloe," Willow murmured, standing in front of me. "It's a supernatural power. We are the guardians of the logical order and the protectors of man." She looked at me for a moment and then smiled slowly. "You wouldn't know it to look at me, but I'm 3,582 years old."

"You don't look a day over 2,000" I quipped. Did they honestly expect a trained reporter to swallow this hook, line and sinker? Had they never heard my name in the halls of the school? "Listen, you gotta' be straight with me…" Just then, Clark floated up and slowly moved across the room before he was laid on the sofa which the two girls vacated. I know my jaw dropped open to about my chest. I turned to look at the two girls, but only saw Trinity. "Where's Willow?"

"I'm right here," came her voice, but much deeper and rougher than it had been. Suddenly, a white tiger appeared from behind the desk. I screeched and clambered on top of mine.

"Th…th…that's a tiger! We have to call animal control!" I shouted to Trinity. The tiger shimmered before my eyes and then Willow appeared. A naked Willow, but Willow nonetheless. Without being self-conscious at all, Willow quickly got back into her clothes.

Trinity held her hand up to help me down from the desk. She kept my hand while Willow gathered my other into hers. Earnest eyes bore into mine and I could no longer deny what they said. "You are a goddess, Chloe. In fact, you're the Goddess of the Sun. You are in a select sisterhood and we will help you learn how to control your powers."

Willow smiled at me and then turned to Trinity. Something unspoken seemed to pass between them before they turned to talk to me again. "We understand that this has been a lot for you to take in, but we don't have the leisure to ease you into it. We would like to meet you later today at the Talon. You can meet the rest of the family."

I could only nod at them. "A lot to take in?" Are they kidding? This was life changing? How was I supposed to tell everyone? And what all did this entail? And don't I have a choice in the matter? And there are more? The questions were swirling around my head so fast that I couldn't get them out.

Trinity smiled understandingly. "We will answer all of your questions, Chloe… when next we meet." She turned and motioned again toward Clark. It seemed like the motion was smaller, but she still seemed to blanche. "There is something about that boy…" she murmured, but shook her head. "You will have ninety seconds to return everyone to normal before he wakes. Then you can conceal your identity from him." They released my hands and turned toward the door, disappearing within the blink of an eye.

I couldn't seem to concentrate. A goddess? Me? And I'm supposed to be the "Sun Goddess"? Am I on Candid Camera? Clark's groan snapped me back to reality. Everyone's still frozen. If I didn't want Clark to think I was some sort of meteor freak, I had to undo this _now_. I blinked my eyes. I clapped my hands. I clicked my heels three times. Nothing seemed to help. Finally, I did the only thing I could. I copied the movement of my hands before everyone froze. Suddenly everything was moving again and I could breathe. Pete and Lana continued through the door like nothing happened, although I couldn't concentrate on what Pete's saying.

"Clark!" Lana shrieked and ran to his side as soon as she noticed him on the couch. His eyes fluttered open at that precise moment and I realized how close it all had been. Pete joined her at Clark's side, but I kind of sidled back so I can get my things.

"What happened, Chlo?" Pete asked. "How did you get over there?"

Lana looked at me with her wide eyes. "I'd come in to find out if you were okay, but now you're fine and Clark's passed out. What's going on?" While she sounded the same, her thoughts painted her to be an entirely different person… and not a friendly one. "_I saw her holding his hand. Probably milking it for all it's worth. He'll always be mine, whether we're actually together or not and she just has to learn the hard truth!_"

I wanted to scream. Here was my best girlfriend thinking such horrible things about me. What was going on? Did something happen to have everyone acting strangely? After all, Pete's never acted interested in me before… Lana could have a catty side, but never really at me… And Clark… I sighed. Maybe they were all under the influence of something. But then my previous visit returned to mind and I didn't think I could write it off so easily. _If this really is what's happened to me, I don't want it!_ I wanted to scream to the disappeared Trinity and Willow. The least they could have done would have been to stick around and help me face all the questions.

I opened my mouth to respond, but Clark began to sit up and everyone suddenly had questions for him. I could have wept in gratitude. His eyes met mine and I dropped my gaze to the ground. How can I not tell him? But to tell him would be to risk absolutely everything. Lana looked at me weirdly and her thoughts came through loud and clear. "_Clark, what did she do to you now?_"

I gasped at such an unfair statement. _She is such an actress! She pretends to be sweet and innocent and my friend, when she's secretly judging me non-stop!_ Obviously I had misjudged my friendship with Lana. I couldn't believe that everyone had misjudged her so entirely! But I suppose that was the plan… And now I just didn't know what to do or who to turn to. I discovered a need to get out of there so strong that it nearly made me gasp. Clark tried to stand up, but Pete and Lana held him down. "I don't know… I just don't…" Finally I couldn't face it anymore and ran out the door. I heard Clark yell my name, but I didn't stop… I couldn't.

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A/N:** Well, it's not a long chapter, but you'll be surprised and amazed when you get to Chapter 4! Just you wait! ;D _

Ace: I'm so glad you have found and are enjoying my fic. As a side note, I like your name… It's the same as my dad's middle one! ;D

Vouge09: In other fics, I have plans for Chloe in regards to a Supergirl type. I've done some research and I think it'll be quite possible. I'm looking forward to trying my hand at it, but even doing two fics at a time is challenging me… which is, of course, a good thing.

MarkMark261: The whole thing with those two chapters… Oy! And I'd read your review before but hadn't had a chance to go and look at it. And I actually discovered it because I wanted to verify something I'd written so it'd be consistent. I could have screamed!

BabyC2003 & spaceboi's pixie: I hope you continue to like it. It's funny how you can feel so confident and then a "minor" problem has you doubting yourself… ;D

KentCharm: Your approval of my incarnation of your story fills my soul with gladness. It's totally props to you for giving me a great beginning! ;D

iluvsmallville1: OK, so this one or the Chapter 2 Prologue aren't that long, but just you wait until Chapter 4. It's length will BLOW YOUR SOCKS OFF! ;D


	5. Chapter 4

_**A/N:** Longest chapter ever coming up! I can't believe it! What's funny is that I was even going to cut it short from what I'd initially planned, but the difference wasn't that much so I kept it in! But there just wasn't an appropriate place to end, ya' know?_

_OK, so on a different note, I'm going to be updating on the weekends. I'm trying to be good at work (but when I'm bored, I am spending a lot of time writing) and not use the internet for non-business related things. So, to take care of that, I'm going to do the weekend updating. But if you all are very, very good, maybe I'll take my files home and update midweek too. ;D_

_Next part of business… I'm considering doing a story synopsis at the beginning of each chapter… you know, like the WB does for Smallville at the 30-minute mark. What do you think? Please let me know so I can implement it with the next installment… or not._

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Chapter 4

Amazingly enough, I managed to avoid Clark all day. It was really touch and go there at times, but I was able to work the system. Avoiding the Torch also helped, of course. The worst thing was that I didn't know how to explain the morning's events to him… or if I even should. Considering all the trouble we've had with meteor freaks and how freaked out _I_ am, how could I expect them ("_Or him_," my honest inner voice said wryly.) to take it in their stride?

But I did use him to focus on so my mind wasn't intruded on all day. I had known that boys were horn-dogs, but the things I'd heard all day from everyone! I knew I'd blush any time I'dthink back on that time. For some reason, he was the calm in the storm of thoughts. I just sat as far away from him as I could in class… but when it got too bad, I'd just focus on him. I thanked all the gods I could think of for us having nearly every class together.

I didn't dawdle in heading for the Talon after school. I even managed to beat Lana there… which is odd considering she gets the last period free so she can get to work. It constantly drives me crazy to think about her perks because no one else could get that opportunity… but Lana just bats her big brown eyes and wham! Instant perk!

I shook my head to try and dispel the negativity and the digression. I had come to the Talon to meet and learn from my fellow goddesses. I wanted to laugh at the idea, even after I'd had time to think about it. It still didn't seem believable. Goddesses were figures in myth and folklore… Not the real world! And weren't they born that way? They can't be nominated or appointed!

I was sitting in a large corner booth. I had been getting lots of hard stares and negative thoughts thrown my way because I was taking such a prime location… but apparently my thoughts and doubts were showing on my face because absolutely no one bothered me. I hadn't been sitting there that long before the crowd seemed to melt away to reveal a group of five girls that were coming toward me. From their determined looks, I might have been nervous if the group hadn't contained Trinity and Willow.

I looked around me. Even though I had taken a booth, we would be quite crowded in it. A girl that almost had the look of a biker chick around her (topped off by a short crop of flame red hair) also seemed to notice this and looked around. She noticed two jocks taking a table for four where two of the chairs just held their school stuff. She stopped at the table. "Could we borrow one of these chairs?" she asked politely with a small smile on her face.

Billy Robinson, high school jock and A-#1 in his own head, looked her up and dismissed her with a flick of his fingers. "We're using them."

The smile disappeared from her face. Her body grew all rigid, but I thought she managed to speak without being too confrontational. "But the place is packed. These are the only two chairs left..."

Sam Shepphard, Billy's best friend and hanger-on, cracked his knuckles. "You heard Billy, chica. Scram!"

Both boys immediately turned their attention to alternate between their magazines and ogling our schoolmates. Biker Chick stiffened even more and I could nearly see steam rising from her head. They were totally ignoring her and she looked at them for another minute. Finally, she grabbed one of the chairs, threw the letterman jacket to the ground, tipped over the books onto the floor, and swung the chair around so she could straddle it and face our table. I could feel my jaw drop to my chest… and I wasn't the only one in the joint. The reason for the chair search was obviously because the Talon was super-packed. Whatever else Lana was, she was pretty savvy at getting people, especially students, in. This week was the one free muffin with your first purchase of any drink. It was only good once a day, but Martha Kent's muffins were nearly to die for!

"Hey, chippy! What do you think you're doing? We were using that!" Billy had finally snapped out of the shock he'd been suffering from after her decisive action.

Biker Chick didn't seem at all concerned and didn't even turn around. Her arms were resting on the back of the chair so they couldn't pull it out from under her. "It's a crowded place in here, muscle-for-brains. Taking up chairs for your crap isn't polite." I was amazed that her voice was so calm and reasonable.

"Sullivan's had that entire booth to herself for thirty minutes!" Sam squeaked. My face flamed in embarrassment. Had it really been that long? I looked around and every single person was facing our corner of the place… and it was absolutely silent.

"She didn't realize we'd be late, moron! And did you ask her to move? No… You didn't. You just want to whine and complain because now your junk has to share a chair." Biker Chick was in fine form and her voice rose dramatically. It felt like it was echoing everywhere.

The tension in the Talon made me want to throw up. The jocks were flexing their muscles, but Biker Chick just looked at us with absolutely no concern on her face. I mean, it wasn't as if I hadn't been in tense situations before, but it was always of my own making. Because of the connection between us, I knew I'd defend her even though I didn't know her, but how could I do it without revealing this new aspect of myself?

But before anything boiled over, Clark appeared between the two guys. "Hey, Billy… Sam… What's up?"

"That… She took one of our chairs after we told her no!" Billy's face was flushed a beet red and I worried that he'd give himself a heart attack at seventeen.

Clark's face looked at Biker Chick and then surveyed the room. "Dude, it's totally packed in here! And you were using the chair for your books?"

Billy looked around and noticed everyone staring. Suddenly all color drained from his face when he realized nearly the entire school was staring at him. You could tell that he realized what an ass he was being. But Sam wasn't so easy. "We told her no… and she threw my stuff on the ground. She's a total…"

Biker Chick whipped off of her chair and glared at the guy. Clark put an easy hand on his shoulder. "Relax, Sam. She's new… probably from Metropolis or something," putting all the small-town prejudice he could muster into that one phrase. Sam looked her up and down and nodded reluctantly. He bent down to pick up his things. Clark cocked an eyebrow at Biker Chick who reluctantly sat back down. He helped Sam clean up and then stood and looked at his fellow students. "You know, my mom's out back delivering a fresh batch of muffins. How about I treat you to two?"

Sam's mouth dropped open at Clark's generosity. I knew that he would never have given up any of Clark's mom's cooking. Billy smiled at Clark wryly. "Hey, man. Thanks. But we gotta' scram if we're going to make it to practice on time. As it is, Coach'll probably rip us a new one." I could tell Billy was trying to smooth over the incident. He grabbed his stuff and Sam's arm. "Dude, let's go." He practically hauled Sam out of the place.

Sound returned to the Talon which was almost as shocking as the silence. It was like everyone wanted to pretend like they hadn't been avidly listening to every detail. I could have wept with joy. With a few well chosen words, he had made the whole thing go away. He came up to the table and I flashed him Smile #103 and breathed, "Thanks, Clark!"

I barely got a hint of a smile in return (which is odd because #103 rarely fails in delivering significant returns) and he looked at me with serious eyes. He noticed the other five girls and I could just see him adjust his strategy. "Chloe…"

I didn't even give him a chance to finish. "Clark, I'll come and meet you at the loft later, okay? I just need to talk to my friends."

He looked at the others with such obvious distrust that I nearly laughed. "Are you sure? I could wait…" Then I realized that he was actually being protective of me and I had to tamp down my shout of joy.

"Clark, I'll be fine," I said, flashing Smile #59. It got me a full-fledged Clark smile in return and I breathed a sigh of relief. He was just about to go on his way when a ruffled Lana stormed up to the table.

"You…" She was looking at me, but seemed to realize it was unjustified and turned her attention to Biker Chick. But not before I heard "_I can't believe that Chloe's been tanning. That's so passé! I'll bet she thinks that it'll help attract Clark or something. She is so pathetic!_" "You cannot treat my customers like that!" She was hissing her words, but she radiated rage. I wondered for a moment if it was more because Clark had gotten me out of trouble yet again and was smiling at me or because of the actual conflict. But her thoughts disturbed me again. I don't know what I did to deserve such venom from her.

And then my KiSA came to my rescue again. He put his arm around Lana (causing me to swallow down my ever-present jealousy) and led her to the back. "Lana, I'm so sorry. Mom sent me in to come get you. She has another delivery."

She melted into his arms and I could have heaved. With one last, dirty look at my table, she looked up at him, radiating innocent attention. "Oh, Clark! I'm so glad! This promotion has them flying off the shelves!" She continued to babble up at him, but it was lost in the background noise.

Trinity nudged me and I looked at her. "I wanted to tell you to freeze her, but there were just too many people and I'm not sure you could affect outside yet."

I laughed. "I probably would have done it… which would have made the Clark situation even harder."

Trinity sobered. "I could make him forget if you want. You wouldn't have to dodge it. He would never know what happened."

I seriously considered it. It would be so much easier… But then I looked at his retreating form and knew I couldn't do it. It just seemed like too much of a violation on my best friend. "Thanks, Trinity, but I'll take care of it."

I looked around at the rest of them and Willow got the clue. "Chloe, you are, of course, wondering who everyone is. The one who caused the ruckus," and she smiled forgivingly at her friend, "is the Goddess of Fire… and she's as hot-tempered as you might suspect."

"Don't listen to her, Chloe," Biker Chick laughed. She stuck out her hand, which I immediately shook. No sense in making enemies with this group. "I'm Francheska… which no one uses. It's always been Fran." She mock glared at Willow. "And I'm not _that_ hot tempered. I just don't put up with a lot of crap!"

"Of course, Fran," a breathy voice beside me practically whispered. She smiled at me. "I'm Destiny, Goddess of Air." I nodded 'cause it was pretty obvious. Her voice sounded just like the whisper of the wind.

"I'm Viniese, Vinny for short," the last girl answered. "I'm Goddess of Water."

"It's really nice to meet all of you," I said, flashing Smile #201. I still wasn't sure how I felt about all of this, but I realized that I truly felt included.

"Is there anything else beside what we told you this morning that you'd like to know, Chloe?" Trinity asked. Everyone looked toward her and I realized that she really did seem to be the leader of this band.

I thought about it for a moment. What did I really want to know? If I knew too much, would I be allowed to leave the group? I thought about the changes that had happened to me since last night. Did I even want to give them up? But they also seemed too permanent for a nebulous "Them" to justsweep it all away. But they were all staring at me… Waiting for me to say something… Finally, I blurted out, "Can you all read minds and freeze time?"

Laughter burst from the table and I felt my face flush hot. Where did they get off laughing at me? If Willow _had_ actually been telling the truth before, they had been at this a lot longer than I had. My anger continued to grow until Trinity finally noticed. "Oh, Chloe! I'm so sorry… We weren't laughing at you…"

I cocked my eyebrow at her and folded my arms. "Oh, really…" In those two words, I tried to express all my anger and disbelief. The rest of the group sobered suddenly and started making apologetic noises. I was a little mollified, but I wasn't going to let them off the hook quite that easily.

Willow's hand covered mine. "It's hard to explain, Chloe." She looked around at the others, but no one else seemed willing to explain. She sighed. "No matter how long we've been doing this, surprises always happen. But it's never the same for any of us. Like Tuesday…" She trailed off, blushing hotly. I didn't interrupt. I desperately wanted to be reassured that I wasn't going to be the only one that would make mistakes here. "Tuesday, I accidentally transformed into a mouse. It was the first time it had ever happened to me and I didn't know how to turn back."

I was shocked. "But at the Torch…"

"Hello! I've been practicing!" Her lips twisted wryly. "I suppose I was motivated because I transformed back in the middle of basketball practice." She started to snicker, which allowed everyone to laugh. I had to admit that must have been embarrassing… since her clothes didn't seem to transform with her.

I looked around and noticed that this was a close knit group that seemed to just enjoy life. I felt privileged to be accepted by them… It helped that they seemed very willing to accept all of me… good points and bad. Suddenly, as much as I was anxious with what was happening to me, I started feeling very thankful for the opportunity to meet them. But then what Willow had said hit me squarely between the eyes. "It just happened Tuesday? But you said…"

Willow just smiled at me. "Honey, we're always growing. The myth of the perfect, all-powerful goddess… Well, that's the real myth." All the others nodded around me.

I thought about that for a moment. I'd always cherished what I knew and how I could grow. Maybe that was one of the reasons I was so reluctant to embrace this new destiny… "I'm so glad," I sighed, feeling a weight released. "So maybe the question I should ask is what your favorite powers are?"

The others looked at me in astonishment… almost like no one had ever asked that particular question before. Destiny smiled at me shyly. "My absolute favorite is that I can fly. It's such a rush and you get such perspective…" She thought for another moment. "It's also fun to be able to create storms… I love everything about it. The rain… The wind…"

I almost didn't hear that last bit. _She can fly?_ My heart leapt in my chest at the thought. That had always been my most fabulous recurring dream. I longed to be up in the air… soaring with the birds and feeling the wind rush in my hair… and all under my own power. "I'm so jealous!" I whined involuntarily. I blushed a little at how selfish that sounded… until I realized the others seemed to echo it. Destiny just smiled.

Vinny twisted her lips. "My favorite has pluses and minuses. I can change the weather, but when I cry, it rains. Talk about a downward spiral! I haven't figured out yet how to divorce it from my emotions. It totally sucks!" She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess they all come with good things and bad. But I do like being able to turn things into ice… I can ice skate in absolutely any weather. How cool is that?" I had to smile. Ice skating hadn't been one of my "skills", but I could see where that would be cool. I rolled my eyes at my internal pun and dragged my attention back to my new friends.

Fran looked at me with a quirk of her eyebrow… "My favorites shouldn't be a surprise." She smiled, but there was a slightly malicious glint to it. "I can create fires and explosions. I can't express the rush…"

"What kind of explosions?" I asked warily. If I hadn't already felt like she could be dangerous, this took all the guesswork out.

"Every kind," she said satisfactorily.

"So, like buildings and stuff?" I was pressing and I knew it… but I hated the thought of one of my sisters being a maniac like the ones we've had to put down before.

Fran laughed a little condescendingly. "Sure, sometimes… but sometimes…"

"Fran!" Trinity barked. "You'll scare Chloe!"

Fran looked at her coldly. "She needs to know…"

"No, she doesn't… Not yet." Trinity folded her arms and leaned forward.

Fran frowned, but then her posture melted into one of resignation. "She asked…" Fran whined.

The silence grew uncomfortably. I didn't know how to fix it. I hadn't realized that there could be such conflict between my sisters. Willow cleared her throat. "I really like the transformation thing… now that I have it under control. But my favorite… My favorite is reincarnating."

I gasped. "You can actually bring people back to life?" I shook my head, trying to understand it all. "That's incredible!"

Willow smiled. "I can't just go about willy nilly bringing people back to life… And reincarnating isn't resurrection. They come back, but slightly different. At least it doesn't make them change species."

"She almost died herself the last time," Vinny said grimly.

"B…b…but I thought we were…" I trailed off, not really knowing how to put my assumption into words.

"Immortal?" Trinity supplied. "For all extents and purposes, we are. But we were all mortal at one point and if we over-extend our considerable reserves…" She trailed off and shrugged.

I was horrified… but seemed to be the only one. The others seemed to have accepted that as part and parcel of the job. I thought about it for a few minutes. Obviously, the Goddesses weren't indestructible… Otherwise, why else would they have needed to call me? But I really didn't want to know. If I did, would it affect my ability to fulfill the mission? Being given this dubious gift, I wanted to use it appropriately. But then a thought struck me. It was totally off subject, but I had to get it out. (_And it's a good way to change the subject_, I thought very, very privately.) "Why didn't Clark freeze at school?"

Willow and Trinity looked at each other. "We really aren't sure," Willow hesitated. "We've felt like there's something odd about him…" I looked at Willow hard. It really felt like she wasn't telling me everything. When they were so open about nearly everything else, I couldn't understand why they wouldn't just tell me and it was really obvious. I even tried to consciously search her thoughts, but she deflected my clumsy efforts with a smile.

I opened my mouth to say something, but Trinity was too fast for me. "There could be millions of reasons… Was he touching you?"

That caught me up short. My mind cast back to that scene and realized that Clark had been holding my handas the door had opened. After freshman year, our relationship had been firmly placed in the "friendship" track… mostly by me. But it had felt like we'd been at another crossroads. Maybe he would have done something… anything… I could have screamed in frustration when that darn door had opened. "So because he was touching me…"

Willow had been watching me closely. "Or if you'd wanted _him_ unfrozen for some reason." She smiled at me gently. She seemed so observant, knowledgeable, and understanding. I wondered how much was because of her long life and how much was her innate nature. I nodded. Then she added something, almost because she had to… "But that really doesn't explain why it took Trinity so much effort to put him to sleep…"

"I must have been tired. You have to admit that we'd been running ourselves ragged ever since the PTB had announced that our newest sister had just been designated." With a shake of her head, Trinity took over our little meeting again. "Chloe, this is a lot to take in and I don't see that getting easier any time soon. And there is a reason we were so glad for your appearance. Something is coming… Something big… But when it comes, we'll need all you have. This is going to be a truly hard time for you, but we love you… You are _truly_ our sister… We'll do all we can to help, but we'll let you have some time to yourself. We don't want to completely freak you out!" She winked at me and gave me a huge hug.

Everyone smiled and started to get up. I finally felt like the siblings I'd always kinda' wanted were suddenly before me and their hugs almost had me dissolving into tears. But I refused to cry in front of some of the jerks from school. I was feeling overwhelmed and it didn't help that I now had to go talk to Clark. Then I noticed Lana glaring at us from behind the counter... but she didn't come up. I was so thankful. Dealing with a cranky Lana without losing my temper would be darn near impossible today. It was going to be bad enough to have The Talk with Clark…

As I drove to the Kent farm, I kept vacillating between confessing all or confessing nothing. There didn't seem to be an easy middle ground here. I guessed that it didn't help that I've always felt he was hiding something from me. _So why should I confess everything to him?_ But the thought seemed so unworthy of me. Clark was my very best friend. Even though I'd always had a crush on him, he'd been the friend I could always rely on. The biggest reason I could think of for not telling him was because he wouldn't (_Or couldn't?_ my inner voice asked snarkily.) come clean with me.

It wasn't a long drive, but a torrential downpour of memories wouldn't let me relax. For as many times as he rescued me with no thought of reward, didn't he deserve some slack? I parked my car and heaved a sigh. As I got closer, I decided to tell him. I couldn't bear to keep this from him. _Besides_, I thought with a wry smile, _maybe he could help cover for me when the impossible happens._

I got out of my car slowly on shaky legs and could feel the total absence of my normal jaunty step. I was terrified that Clark would look at me like a freak. We had faced so many people with special powers that had threatened our lives. What if he thought I was going to hurt him? As I walked into the barn, I watched him bailing hay. It was such a normal, every day chore for him, which only struck home how I wasn't every day and normal anymore. My fears froze me in my steps and my heart pounded painfully in my chest. Tears burned in my eyes and I felt like I was gasping in pain. I was absolutely terrified.

I don't know how he could possibly have known, but suddenly he turned to look at me and dropped his pitchfork. In an instant, he was at my side, enfolding me in his arms. His gentleness broke my control down and suddenly I was sobbing into his flannel shirt. My mind wandered and was blearily thankful for the absorbency of flannel. As my sobs lessened, I could feel him guiding me up to his loft. When he had me settled to his satisfaction on the sofa and an old-fashioned handkerchief pressed into my hands, I was mildly surprised when he knelt in front of me and clasped my hands. "Chloe, what's wrong? What happened?"

His voice was so gentle and concerned that it almost set me off again. I shook myself irritably and determined that I would totally get myself under control. I looked up at him and tried to smile. I'm not sure it came through… or helped much. I took a deep breath. "Clark, I'm afraid…" I choked to a stop.

Clark smiled softly. "Afraid of what, Chlo? You know that I'll help you in whatever you need…"

I stared at him, trying to memorize his every feature… in case he refused to talk to me after this. "I don't really know how to say this, Clark, so I'm just going to blurt it out." I looked straight into his eyes before I had to close them. Anything to not see the change come over his face. I took a deep breath. "I'm a goddess, Clark."

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A/N:** I'm using Smile numbers in this chapter. I kinda' like the idea. I got the idea from a Douglas Adams' book where a man numbered rainfall. I'll put the definitions of the smiles here in the Author's notes… and any acronyms I decide to make up! ;D _

_--Smile #59 - Joyful gratitude._

_--Smile #103 - Relieved thankfulness for someone being a gentleman._

_--Smile #201 - Polite smile used when meeting important new people._

_--KiSA - Knight in Shining Armor._

_--PTB - Powers That Be (not a Danae original, but just in case you didn't know)._

_South manger 2004, BabyC2003, & vouge09: I'm so glad you're enjoying it enough to want more. Please tell me what you think about the weekend update idea…_

_iluvsmallville1: I have to admit that my chapters being longer has made me very happy. Unfortunately, I know that's not going to continue. Right now, I'm trying to Danae-acize KentCharm's original work and I'm nearing the end. We'll see how my imagination goes after that…_

_KentCharm: Your continued enjoyment of this fic is very satisfying to me. Can you think of anything I'm leaving out? Anything you'd thought of adding before?_

_markmark261: The verb tenses are driving me crazy! I know this may be asking a lot, but if you could note where I do it, then I can be sure and snag them all! You're the best!_

_micheal: Yeah, I'm venting a bit on the Lana front with this one. Usually I try and be very forgiving, but I'm a little crabby currently. ;D_

_Dance4Grace: Thank you so much for liking my stuff. I can't express how much I enjoy getting feedback from my fellow writers. That being said, I will definitely try to read your work and be conscientious about reviewing it. If you would like me to beta it or proof it before you post it, please just e-mail it to me… preferably in Word format! ;D_


	6. Chapter 5

_**A/N:** I could just swear. At least at this point I know what happened. I'm writing ahead, as you all should know by now, and I think I saved over my original chapter 5. Because, while I was going to back-read a little bit, I noticed that the chapters jumped again. I may just have to create templates for my chapters and not use "Save As". I guess my saving grace this time is that I noticed before I posted this time. Oy! The worst thing is that I'm not sure this is as good as what I first wrote. :(_

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Chapter 5

He looked at me blankly for a moment. "Excuse me?" I opened my eyes because that wasn't the response I had expected. He actually rubbed his finger in each ear to make sure he didn't have a wax plug in there or something. I would have laughed if I hadn't still been freaking out.

I decided to try again. "This morning, I woke up different…"

He looked at me with a small smile on his face. "Chloe, are you sure you're feeling okay? Maybe you caught the flu or something and that's why you feel different."

I looked at him and frowned. "You sound just like my father. Clark, if you want to hear the story, you have to let me finish." I swallowed hard, feeling rather nauseous. "I don't think I can repeat myself."

He looked at me in concern. I wondered if my face had turned green to match the sick feeling in my stomach. But he nodded and pantomimed zipping his lip, locking it and throwing away the key. I would have laughed, but that response was not available to me at the moment.

I took a deep breath. "When I woke up, I felt really different… I thought it was the meditation evening, but I didn't even want my morning's coffee. And then I came to school and everyone started bombarding me…" I trailed off. How could I possibly explain all this?

"Bombarding you?" Clark asked gently, still holding my hand gently.

I focused on that hand… on the feelings that Clark's touch engendered in me. I needed something solid… so that I didn't feel like I was losing my mind. "With their thoughts, Clark. I was hearing things I wouldn't have even guessed at and it felt like everyone was shouting in my head. That's why I nearly fainted. I couldn't handle it."

When I looked up, I was afraid Clark was going to be sick. "You can… can read thoughts?" He looked at me, and I could tell he was terrified. "Have you read mine?"

At least I could reassure him on that score. I shook my head. "Clark, you were the calm in the midst of that terrible storm. If I focused on you, everyone seemed to melt away and it was all quiet. It was such a relief."

Clark looked relieved as well. But then he turned thoughtful. "Then why did you avoid me all day?"

I barked a totally non-humorous laugh. "Clark, I'd just frozen time. You were passed out on the sofa because of Willow and Trinity. _And_ they had just told me I was the Goddess of the Sun. How could I possibly explain that to you, let alone Lana or Pete? But if you hadn't been in school… I may just have gone mad." I started to shake a little. "Clark, sometimes it's like I can't turn it off. It's like everyone is crowding in on me and I want to scream at them to respect my personal space."

At this point, I wasn't even looking at him. How could he possibly understand? He wasn't afraid that people would think he was some sort of mind-reading freak. "This just happened today?" he asked gently. I could only nod miserably. "Chloe, you can't expect yourself to be able to control such a power as soon as you get it. That type of control takes awhile to develop and you haven't even had four hours yet. Don't be so hard on yourself!"

I looked at him in shock. This was definitely not what I was expecting. "What are you talking about? I invaded the minds of nearly all the student body and faculty. How could I not be hard on myself?"

He smiled and I felt vaguely reassured. "Well, let's put this to the test. Did you purposefully try and read anyone's mind?" I shook my head slowly. "Did you try and get it to stop?" I nodded, starting to feel a little more hopeful. "This is the kicker, so pay attention. Were you planning to use anything you learned this way in your journalistic endeavors?" I shook my head vigorously. "Exactly. The Chloe I know has an insatiable curiosity for everything around her, but she wouldn't stoop to using such an effortless way of gaining a story. For you, the chase has always been 9/10s of the fun."

I gawked at him. How did he know that? He hardly paid enough attention to the world around him to get his articles in on time. I always had to harass him. So where did he get so observant and wise all of a sudden? But the guilt was still there. "Clark…"

He looked at me sternly. "Chloe, stop beating yourself up over this. Here's some more questions to help you determine the guilt level you 'should' be feeling. As the day wore on, were you able to block others out more easily?" I nodded. I really didn't feel like I had to say anything anymore. Clark was taking the lead and I was almost relieved to let him. "At the Talon, were you actively hearing anyone's thoughts?" I shook my head again. "So now you see, you grew into your control and you placed it on yourself almost without thinking. You'll backslide occasionally, but you can't run before you learn how to walk."

His smile of approval melted all the guilt. I finally felt like I wasn't some sort of monster. I had to give him a huge hug. "Clark…"

He hugged me back and I could still hear the smile in his voice. "Chloe, you have always been there for me. You're a stellar human being and you should never feel guilty for something that was thrust upon you." He pulled back slightly. "Who're Trinity and Willow?"

I smiled. "They call me their sister and it really feels like they are. Trinity is the Goddess of the Moon and Willow is the Goddess of the Earth. There are three others: Vinny, Fran, and Destiny. They've explained the situation to me."

He looked a little worried still, somehow concerned. "And you're sure you trust them?"

I thought about it for a moment because to answer the question too quickly would give the impression that I was possibly being gullible. I shook my head. "I do, Clark. I would trust them with my life. I may not necessarily agree with their viewpoint, but…" I shrugged.

He nodded and smiled. I think we were both relieved in some way. But then the smile slid off his face and it kinda' freaked me out. He looked at me seriously… I'd never seen him look so serious before. "Why did you tell me all this, Chloe?"

I knew what he was feeling. He was wondering why I had burdened him with all this knowledge. I felt a little bad. He probably didn't want to know that one of his best friends was a super human. "Clark, I couldn't lie to you. You'd already seen too much and if I had tried to cover it up, you would have been even more determined to find the truth. And if you had found out about my powers another way, would you have still trusted me? Plus… You're my best friend, Clark. I had to tell you."

Clark looked as if I'd struck him a mortal blow. He got up in one swift movement and moved to the barn opening. "You're such a good friend, Chloe," he choked. "Much better than I am."

I came up to his side and grabbed his hand. Apparently, our roles had suddenly been reversed and I was now the comforter. "Clark, you're the best person I know. You have the biggest heart and always feel personally responsible for when people you know are in danger… which by the way, I think is a little over the top. It's not your fault that crazy things happen in Smallville."

He looked down at me and I was shocked to see the tears swimming in his eyes. He stared at me for a long while, but I'm not absolutely certain he saw me. Then he straightened his shoulders and his focus was definitely entirely on me. "Read me, Chloe."

I gasped. Of all the people I knew, Clark was the one that guarded his privacy most fiercely. "Clark… You don't have t… I'm not even sure I c…" I was frustrated that I couldn't seem to complete an entire sentence.

He shook his head and grabbed my other hand. "Chloe, I've wanted to tell you for so long… but it's such an incredible story…" He seemed to be at a loss for words. "I should have trusted you like you trusted me. I've known you for four years and have kept it from you, but you had something crazy happen to you and I get the news within 24 hours." He smiled sadly. "You deserve to know."

I opened my mouth to protest. I couldn't lie and say that I didn't want to know. He knew better. "I always figured you'd tell me when you're ready."

He took a deep breath. "I'm ready now, Chloe. Your new power just makes it easier… Just try not to think of me too differently."

I was worried now. What could it possibly be? Had he killed a man? What unspeakable crime could he have possibly committed that would change my opinion of him? But to deny him this was to deny him the release of an open secret. I couldn't do that to him. I nodded slowly and he sighed in relief. "I've never done this on purpose, Clark. Just relax and we'll see just how much control I've got over this thing." I looked deep into his eyes… but I had to say one more thing. "Clark, I'll never stop loving you…"

He looked a little shocked, but I wasn't really available for conversation. I concentrated harder than I ever have before in my life. I could feel sweat springing up on my forehead as I hit hard against the brick wall that was Clark Kent. But suddenly it was like I jumped over the wall and suddenly I was inside of Clark.

The first thing I encountered was his fear. Fear that he'd drive me away. Fear that I might accidentally let slip his secret. Fear that he was too different for anyone to ever accept. But I slowly sunk deeper into his thoughts and a curtain lifted so everything was showing like the movies first done in TechniColor, but it was still strangely silent.

I saw the meteor shower from above and it was horrible. One crashed right in front of a truck, causing the driver to swerve and accidentally tipping the car into a rollover. Inside, I saw younger versions of Martha and Jonathan Kent and I held my breath. I knew they made it through the accident, but it certainly looked severe. Then I saw a small pair of bare feet outside of Martha's window and a dark head with the most beautiful face looked through the window. _Clark!_ I thought in shock. What was he doing out there in the middle of nowhere? Were his parents killed in the meteor shower? But then I saw him wrench Martha's door open and I felt myself gasping for air. Excuse me? Most meteor related mutations didn't happen for years or, at the minimum, months after first exposure.

I saw Martha wrap him in a blanket and carry him along as she and Jonathan investigated the huge trail into a cornfield. It was huge and I was afraid of what could possibly be hiding at the end. What was there wasn't what I had expected. It was a little mini-spaceship. And Toddler Clark was reaching for it. My mind whirled. Did this mean he was…?

I didn't even get to finish my thought as the world started to speed up. Now it was snippets of scenes that were going too fast for me to even make mental comments to myself. Mr. Kent showing him the ship in the storm cellar. Clark stacking the jocks' trucks freshman year. Clark pulling my coffin directly from the ground using only his bare hands. Clark setting that fire in biology class… with his eyes. Each incredible feat that he'd ever done rushed past my eyes. Finally, things went dark and I heard a voice explaining that Clark was the last survivor of a place called Krypton.

The visions cut off so suddenly that I couldn't see anything for a moment. Then Clark came back into wavery focus, but my legs would no longer hold me up. I started to slide toward the ground, but Clark quickly swept me up and laid me on the sofa… _What is it about today and me laying on sofas?_ I asked myself blurrily. It didn't have anything to do with anything, but I was hardly in charge of myself at that point.

Clark knelt in front of me and he was smoothing my hair out of my eyes. _Such a sweet gesture_, I thought as I started to feel more like myself. I felt like I'd just been through the Iron Man marathon. _And he was even "letting" me in_, I thought warily. The girls had been right that he was different, but they had no idea _how_ different. I sat up shakily.

Clark tried to push me gently back down. "Chloe, take it easy."

I gave a strained laugh. "Clark, with the amount of near-miss fainting I've done today, I need to sit up for a minute." He still knelt before me and I smiled at him gently. I brushed back his hair and left my hand on his cheek. "I don't blame you for not telling me," I said softly. I tried to put all the understanding and forgiveness into my words and my eyes.

Apparently, it was too much for Clark. He burst into tears and clutched me around the waist as he cried. I soothed his hair and made murmuring sounds. This poor boy had been put through hell by trying to keep his secret. It had been eating him alive. I knew that the Kents had meant well, but it had forever set him apart. I actually cried some tears for him myself.

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A/N: Well, it's still fairly long, but my memories of my first attempt I liked better. But no use crying over spilt milk, right? **_

_Johnny Superfecta: I got excited because it's not often I find someone that can find my quotes. Fabu! And don't worry too much about the other goddesses. I'm staying true to that part of the original. And it's extremely hard to not write Lana mean. What is it about that character?_

_spaceboi's pixie: The jocks… Well, I've watched "Smallville" from the beginning and the jocks tend to have a jerky streak. So who better to have a conflict with in a coffee shop?_

_Markmark261: As always, you are my hero. I will be updating those tense errors soon. You weren't necessarily supposed to recognize the other goddesses. I did take them directly from KentCharm's original. Also, I know my use of apostrophes drive you crazy… but I was taught that if you shorten a word, it's appropriate. Thanks, though! ;D_

_BabyC2003: I hope you continue to like it. And I really appreciate the positive feedback. Thank you!_

_KentCharm: I'm so glad you approve of where I'm going with this. I like how you were going to go, but I wrote such a powerful chapter a little bit in the future that we'll just have to see… ;D And I totally understand about the being busy part. Starting this new job has really kicked my can!_


	7. Chapter 6

_**A/N:** In apology for all those that look forward to my updates, I am doing a special updating special this weekend. Not only do you get a submittal early this afternoon (well, earlier than normal), but I am also planning on updating tomorrow or Sunday. I'd say it was reliant on whether I got enough reviews, but ya'll are just so great at that already that I can't even use that as a lure!_

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Chapter 6

It didn't take too long for us to get a hold of ourselves. Clark seemed a little embarrassed, but for some reason he was holding my hand. I honestly didn't feel the need to fight him about it. We were smiling at each other. It was one of the most perfect moments of my life. Of course, my curiosity wouldn't allow me to rest in that perfect state for long. "So, Clark… Could you give me a quick rundown? I saw a lot of stuff, but…" I trailed off and shrugged. I wasn't sure how to explain it.

"You need me to put it in context?" Clark smiled as I nodded thankfully. It was like he was the one reading my mind… "OK, the quick and the dirty is that I'm the last child from the planet Krypton. I don't know if it's just me or if everyone from Krypton had these powers, but there really isn't anyone I could ask."

"What about that voice?" I interrupted. "It seemed like it was still around."

Clark got really grim. "Oh, Jor-El is still around, but he and I don't see eye to eye on a lot of things. That's why he branded me."

"Branded?" I gasped. How could anyone do that, let alone a disembodied voice? He quickly unbuttoned his shirt and showed me the raised welts on his otherwise perfect chest. Without intending to, my hand reached up and caressed the lines. I hurt just thinking of what he went through. "Oh, Clark!"

Gently, he took my hand away and buttoned back up his shirt. "It doesn't hurt, Chlo. It's just a constant reminder that Jor-El wants me to rule the world for some unknown reason." We fell silent for a few minutes while I tried to wrap my mind around the idea of Clark ruling anyone. Clark recovered first and shook his head. "It doesn't matter what my biological father wants, Chlo. We were talking about my powers." He smiled, and I could tell that he'd just pushed the pain into that private part of him that none of us got to touch very frequently. I felt so bad for him, but realized that he wouldn't appreciate my empathy at this precise moment. "For as long as I could remember, I've been extremely strong and could move really fast. Faster than anyone could follow with their eyes. Freshman year, I developed heat vision and x-ray vision."

I looked at him in shock. X-ray… "Clark, you've never used that x-ray vision on me, have you?"

He looked at me and blushed a little bit. When I would have started ranting at him, he interrupted me. "Chloe, it's not like I had a lot of control over it when it first started. I was learning, just like you were today."

I had to give him that. What had happened today at school could have been considered the height of privacy violation. It wasn't what I'd wanted to do and I didn't relish the thought of returning to school on Monday to be bombarded again. I nodded. "Okay, Clark. You get a freebee on that one, but…"

He held his hand up with three fingers raised. "Scout's honor," he said seriously. I could have laughed. I had totally forgotten that he and Pete had been in the Boy Scouts of America. I even vaguely remember Clark getting his Eagle Scout award… the youngest to achieve that in Smallville. But before I could totally recall the ceremony, he was continuing and I had to pay attention. "And after Lex's car hit me, I discovered that I was darn near invulnerable."

"But I've seen you cut and bleeding…" Those had been some of the worst times of my life. Clark was always there, but when he got hurt, you knew something _really_ bad had happened.

He shrugged. "There was once where my powers got sucked into Eric, but I had to take them back after he went crazy. And then when me and Mom got sick… And… when Mr. White was in town." He looked at me and smiled. "It seems like my powers aren't super permanent, but it has to be extreme."

I looked at him hard. "But Clark, I've seen…"

He held up his hand. "I know, Chlo. That's usually when I've been exposed to meteor rocks for too long. I have like an allergy to them or something."

I laughed. "Clark, you should be getting hurt more often with all the stunts you pull and the amount of meteor rocks around!"

"Not really. Lionel Luthor seems to be collecting them for some reason, so there aren't as many as there could be." He looked at me and a sudden shy smile crossed his face. "The last thing…"

"Last thing?" I goggled. The list was pretty massive so far and he had more?

"Yeah. I seem to levitate sometimes… especially when I have dreams about flying. But it never lasts for long. I usually come crashing down on my bed. Mom and Dad have threatened putting my mattress on the floor." He laughed. "It's great when it's in my dreams, but I…" He shuddered.

"You're still afraid of heights?" I giggled for a minute. The thought that anyone indestructible would be afraid of heights seemed ludicrous.

"Don't laugh, Chloe." He tried to look severe, but I knew he saw the humor in the situation. "I don't know what my problem is, but I haven't been able to work through it yet. But I seem to be able to jump really high." He shrugged. "Hey, it's progress…"

"So now we know," I said with a pleased grin. "My best friend's an alien."

"And mine is a goddess… or something like it." Clark wasn't giving in on the goddess term, but I didn't blame him. "Goddess" made me feel like I expected people to start worshiping me or something.

I felt so close to him right then. There were no secrets. Nothing to keep us… I grimaced as an image of Lana floated in front of my eyes. I got up from the couch. I couldn't stand being so close to him when he'd never have the same feelings for me. "So, was Lana really upset?" It popped out before I could censor it and I wanted to bite my tongue.

"She was a bit. Your friend really got under her skin. I'd never heard her be so angry before." He didn't look as distressed I thought he might have. That seemed odd to me, but I wasn't going to say anything about it. Her awful thoughts about me were really coloring our relationship. In a way, I was glad. It felt really awful to want to compete with your best friend about a guy who also just happens to be your best friend.

I sighed and looked out the window. It was just turning to dusk and it painted the wheat fields a brilliant crimson. It really was beautiful. "I didn't mean to set her off…" I said softly.

Clark came up beside me and put his arm across my shoulder. If I didn't know that he was totally infatuated with Lana, I would have thought he was putting the moves on me. "She's been… different… lately." The pause was drawn out, but neither of us really seemed to want to break it. But at least I lasted longer than Clark. He heaved a huge sigh and asked a question I really didn't want to answer. "Have you read her mind?"

I didn't know what to say. Do I answer honestly and tell him that the love of his life really had a soul the hardness and color of coal? I moved away from him. I couldn't really lie to him now, but I really didn't want to look at him. "I did. I didn't mean to. I still can't control…"

Clark was too fast to let me get away from him. The next thing I knew he was standing in front of me and tilted my chin up with his finger. "Of course you didn't, Chloe." He smiled and I melted. How could anything in the world be wrong with that smile residing within it? "I know you too well. As much as you might have gotten a little thrill with it at first, it would have taken all the fun out of your investigative journaling. I'll bet that's a reason you want to get rid of your powers."

I could only gape at him. I knew that he knew me better than anyone on the planet… especially now, but how could he know that? I tried to collect myself. "You're right, Clark. I hate this facet of everything. I feel so bombarded all the time… unless I'm with you." This time I managed to smile at him.

"I wonder why…" he said slowly.

I could only shrug. Seemed like I was doing a lot of that lately. "Not a clue. But Trinity mentioned there was something different about you. They probably don't know _how_ different."

His eyes got guarded again and I could have cursed my careless tongue, but it did veer him away from the Lana mind subject. "You're not going to tell them, are you?"

I was so exasperated, I could have smacked him. "Clark! You should know me better than that. I'd rather die than tell people about your powers. But it's not like you're super-secret guy. Nine-tenths of the inmates at Belle Reve know you have powers." I wasn't sure he believed me… and I found that really distressing. Hadn't I just told him my biggest secret of all time with all the trust in the world? Did I ask him to promise not to tell anyone _ad nauseum_?

Some of my attitude must have leaked through because he grimaced. "Sorry, Chlo. I've just been guarding my differences my entire life and my parents freak out when someone learns my secret."

I narrowed my eyes. "Who else knows your secret, Clark?"

His eyes shifted to the side and he sidled away from me. "Ummm, my parents…"

I wasn't letting him get away from me on this one. I took his hand and it was my turn to firmly place him on the sofa. "Clark, I knew that. Who else?"

I could tell that Clark would put this off as long as he possibly could, but I wasn't giving up. Thankfully, he already knew how stubborn I could be and I didn't have to prove it all over again. Finally, he sighed and I knew I had won. "Pete."

"Pete!" I shrieked in disbelief. "Pete knows your secret? How could you tell him and not me?"

Clark looked at me mournfully, but I wasn't going to be taken in by those beautiful puppy dog eyes. I stood and gave him my "You better tell me now" look, complete with raised eyebrow and hands on hips. Another sigh echoed in the barn. "He found my spaceship and I had to tell him."

Both my hands clapped to my mouth in excitement. "Can I see it?" I asked breathlessly.

"Sorry, Chlo. I destroyed it last summer… which is why I went totally AWOL and my mom was in the hospital. It was…" He grimaced and stared off into space. Obviously he wasn't still having problems with his folks, but the pain was as new as if it had happened yesterday.

I didn't want to increase his pain, but I had to know. "How'd you destroy it? If you're indestructible, I would have thought it would be too."

"Lionel made a key out of kryptonite. It hurt the ship as much as it hurts me and it exploded. The shockwave crashed my parents' car and Mom lost the baby." A tear rolled down his cheek.

"So that's why you were hiding in Metropolis." I thought about that time. It had been an extremely dark time for me. I had been working for the Planet after promising to deliver information on Clark to Lionel Luthor. I had found Clark for Lana, which had burned my very soul. But I did have one very specific question. "So, why were you acting so odd?"

He blushed. "You remember the class ring?" I nodded. What was so important about our cheesy class ring? "It had red meteor rock in it…"

Suddenly the pieces clicked. "And instead of hurting you it… What? Changes your personality?"

He nodded, smiling at how brilliant I was. "Pretty much." Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. I wondered what exactly that meant for me. "Nice diversion, Chlo."

I opened my eyes wide with what I hoped was innocence shining in them. "What do you mean?"

"Chloe Sullivan, you know exactly what I mean." He frowned at me. It wasn't the first time he'd resorted to using my full name and I was just happy I'd never told him my middle one. "What did you read from Lana?"

I blushed. I so didn't want to get into this, but that face told me I had to spill… at least most of it. I shrugged to make it seem nonchalant. "I dunno. She seemed to think we were having some sort of competition or something. And then all that stuff about being obsessed with you…" I snapped my mouth shut. I had no idea why I'd told him that last part. But the worst part was that he doesn't seem so surprised… and that irritated me. "But I'm not," I added for good measure. "I mean, we had our chance freshman year."

He grimaced. "I know, Chloe." He stared at me for awhile and I wondered briefly if I had a bit of pastry on my mouth or something. "So she's competing with you internally for… me?"

I laughed, but even I could tell it was forced. "Yeah, but don't go getting a big head, farm boy." I thought about my ruined friendship and could feel a headache forming. "I mean, I can sort of understand because she's always been the center of attention."

He looked at me, but didn't come near. It was a darn good thing because the tears were threatening to well up and one touch from him would cause them to spill over. "She's always been a little jealous of you, Chlo. I can't blame her… not really."

I could only stare at him. Why would he think it would be natural for Lana to be jealous of me? Suddenly, I realized that it was totally dark outside. "Oh, man! My dad is going to freak out, Clark. Would you mind calling my dad and telling him I'm on my way?"

He smiled and captured my hand before I could dart down the stairs. "How about you call him and tell him you're staying for dinner? It's not like it hasn't happened before."

Joy burst from me. He wasn't being harsh about what I'd said about Lana. I felt like the world was my oyster. "That would be great, Clark!" We walked down the stairs together, but when we hit the ground, I followed up on an impulse. I gave him a huge hug which he returned. I would have loved to just stand like that for awhile, but I knew that couldn't happen or he'd get suspicious. I just felt incredibly lucky that this powerful alien that was the most wonderful and special person in my life was my best friend. I broke the hug and headed toward the house. "I like this, Clark. I feel like we're so much… closer." I tossed it over my shoulder like a throw-away line on a television show. I didn't want to make it seem too serious or anything.

Behind me, I could have sworn I heard him respond. "Me too, Chloe." But he was perfectly normal as we entered the house, so I must have been imagining it.

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The next morning, I woke up with the sun again. I just laid in bed for a little while. I could revel in the fact that I knew Clark's secret and he knew mine… and we were still as close as ever, if not more so. Dinner had been awesome. I absolutely love the Kents. They always make me feel like part of a big happy family. Not that my dad doesn't, but there's something so homey about their house… Maybe it was because Martha was there all day. I didn't really want to analyze it. I loved my dad, but he wasn't… I throttled the thought silent. I absolutely refused to think about it any further.

I woke up feeling even more energized than normal… but also more confident. I grabbed a yellow sundress I'd found two summers ago but had never had the guts to wear to school. _Why not?_ I thought happily and threw it on. It looked amazing! If nothing else, this goddess thing really cut down on my prep time before school. I grabbed a sweater on my way downstairs. I didn't plan on wearing it because I didn't feel any sort of chill, but maybe my confidence would cut out like Clark's powers…

Dad was in his usual spot and I kissed him on the top of his head. I avoided the coffee pot again and just got some fruit out. But before I could get more than a couple of bites, I heard a honking coming from outside. I strolled to the window and saw two Toyota Priuses, one red and one light blue, in my driveway. They were stuffed to capacity with my sisters. I waved and they responded enthusiastically. "OK, Dad. Some friends are going to drive me to school today!"

He looked up to respond and I thought his eyes were going to bug straight out of his skull. "Chloe, what are you wearing?"

I laughed. "Dad, you were with me when I bought this two years ago!"

"But…but…" I knew he was having a coronary, but it wasn't like this was scandalous attire.

"Daddy, I gotta' go! My friends are waiting." I kissed his cheek quickly and tripped out the door before he could think to say anything new. I dashed out in relief. Daddy just wasn't used to his little girl looking like a woman. And while he wasn't comfortable with it, I certainly was feeling it. I had to smile that Fran was driving the red one. She seemed slightly out of place in that car, but the color fit her to a T. But she already had Vinny and Destiny in it with her, so I turned to the blue car. Willow was patiently sitting in the back seat, which I thought was very nice of her. As I slid into the front seat, I looked at Trinity. She was wearing the exact same dress I was except for in black. "Oh, did you get the memo?"

Trinity laughed. "Darling, you're so cute. I'm not surprised. You're the Sun Goddess and I'm the Moon. We're the closest."

I was a little taken aback by that. In some ways, I'd felt most comfortable with Willow, but she was right. There always seemed to be some sort of connection between the two of us. I smiled. "That's nice to know," I said softly.

"Freakin' her out again, Trin," Willow laughed from the back. "But if you don't get moving, Chloe's going to be late for school."

"You mean you don't…" I trailed off. Of course they didn't. Just because I'd met them there, it didn't mean they were students.

Trinity waved her hand, easing my embarrassment. "Occassionaly, we do attend school. It keeps us up to date." She smiled as she eased the car out of my driveway. "It's most convenient when one of our number has to complete her education."

Willow shrugged. "But we haven't had to do it since 1892. Your school is so much nicer than Destiny's boarding school." We laughed as we drove down the road. I felt carefree and secure. It sure was nice to have people to share these experiences with. Clark had a tough childhood, but now we had each other. As much as I was connected with these girls, I felt an even greater connection to Clark. It must be due to the fact that I'd known him longer…

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A/N: How do you pluralize a car name? I've done the best I could, but I don't know… And this trails off weirdly, I'm sure, but I wanted a bit of a break. After all, it's a full five page story right now! **_

_As another side note, I'm sorry about the history lesson at the beginning. I just can't seem to help myself. Clark had to do some exposition when he revealed the "secret" to Chloe. Maybe I didn't have to spell it out so entirely, but I just can't seem to help myself sometimes. ;D_

_iluvsmallville1: I'm so sorry that it's taken me so long to update… and you're one of the reasons why I'm doing my extra special updating this weekend. ;D And Shhhhhh! That's a secret! ;D Mainly because some people here haven't watched the season yet. But I just couldn't resist Clark crying. He's a mostly sensitive guy and they always have him playing the "real men don't cry" card. Men are allowed to cry, darn it! ;D_

_BabyC2003: I'm so glad you still like it. Sometimes I wonder where the story is going to go, because while I do have an outline, the story totally has a life of its own. Sometimes I swear I'm channeling Chloe!_

_markmark261: Thank you, as always, for the proofing notes! You're such a lifesaver for a perfectionist such as I! I may not get them incorporated as fast as this chapter, but I'll be trying! And I'm glad you liked the chapter. I think that Clark, when you take away his need for deception, has a load taken off of his mind that allows him to concentrate on what he wants to express rather than what he wants to hide._

_spaceboi's pixie: Never fear about the spelling. That's why I write in Word first before I submit a chapter. Otherwise, it'd be totally scary! I'm just really glad you like my work. Does my heart good! ;D_


	8. Chapter 7

_**A/N:** As promised, here is the next chapter of the story. Surprisingly enough, I didn't get as many reviews as I would have thought… but perhaps that's because more people use the computers at work and school than I thought… ;D I shouldn't be surprised. Before I was trying to be "good, that was me!_

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Chapter 7

As we drove into the school parking lot, I realized that in some ways this felt really odd. Usually I was either coming into school with or immediately meeting my boys. This felt odd. But we walked into school and I noticed that my sisters had formed up behind me. Suddenly I was struck with how similar it seemed to all those teen movies where a popular clique was walking down the hall. I smiled and wondered where the background music was… or the wind machine at least. I rolled my eyes at my whimsy and just tried to make my way down the hallway with the least amount of fuss.

But I couldn't believe how sexy I was feeling. I strutted down that hallway as if I owned every single thing in sight. I heard all the thoughts of my fellow students, but it felt like an homage to me and my crew. I smiled. It felt very appropriate. I noticed Lana standing by her open locker with a disapproving look on her face. "_She has friends?_" came the virulent thought.

My eyes narrowed. That was totally the last straw. I waved my hand and froze everyone around me. I stopped dead in my tracks and my sisters came around me. "What's up, Chloe?" Fran asked. Surpisingly, she looked a little worried.

"You know what? I thought Lana was my friend." My eyes watered a little. I had my new friends, but the pain of losing an old one smarted a lot. "She thinks absolutely the worst things about me! I'm so sick of it!"

Trinity looked at me with a mock frown on her face. I could tell she wasn't really serious because her eyes glinted with mischief. "You have to be careful about using your powers. We don't really want anyone to know the secret. But you're right. She thinks she's beyond everyone else. That is an attitude that needs to be corrected." She gestured for me to release the time freeze and then waved her hand at some jocks playing with a football. The football slammed into her face with a satisfying thud.

"My nose!" Lana screamed, clutching the injury. She ran to the nurse's station and I had to try hard to swallow my laugh.

We didn't walk too much further before we came to my locker, which Clark was leaning against. I smiled. It was so nice that he was waiting for me… The look on his face was priceless. I didn't wear dresses very often, but this was beyond the norm. He was blushing and glaring around at any other guy that might have noticed. It was so sweet. I turned to Trinity and the others for a moment. "Do you…?"

Fran smiled and it almost seemed lecherous coming from her. "No problem, Chlo. We'll see you later." They walked away and I watched them. A strange thought crossed my mind and I did my best to stamp it out. I loved having sister goddesses and I loved that I felt like I belonged within their group… but it really didn't feel like it would last. I couldn't understand what that could possibly mean, so I just shrugged. It wasn't worth agonizing over.

I saunter over to Clark, Smile #615 plastered on my face. "Hey there, handsome!"

He gaped at me for a minute, and I couldn't blame him. Only one other time in our entire acquaintance had I been so forward. Then he smiled… and I would have melted had I not been trying my darndest to impress him. "What's the occasion, Chlo?"

I batted my eyes at him, and I could have sworn he winced. Okay, maybe I was taking it a bit far, but it was so much fun! "You mean this old thing? I figured it was just about time to wear it, don't you?"

He swallowed convulsively and I hid my face in my locker so I wouldn't start giggling. Maybe this is why I'd never gotten anywhere with Clark… I hadn't been confident enough in myself to actually flirt. "So, Chloe… I was wondering…" I could feel another moment coming, so I quickly pulled my head and my algebra book out of my locker. But whatever he was about to say was lost in the sound of the school bell. "Oh no! I'm going to be late for class again!"

I smiled again. "No worries, Clark." I grabbed his hand before I waved the other. Immediately, all our fellow students froze in their tracks… and I laughed in delight. Maybe this was a better deal than I'd thought. I turned back to my locker to grab the other books I'd need for the morning. "Clark, with your super-speed, I have no idea why you're late all the time. After all, it's not like anyone would be able to see you. I honestly think you should consider…" By this time, I had surfaced from my locker and was looking directly at Clark. "Okay, Clark. What's the sitch? What did I do to get Daddy Clarky's panties in a twist?"

His frown deepened, which isn't really what I'd wanted, but he was being so judgemental. "Chloe, we could get in trouble with this. You didn't freeze the entire world, just the hallway. What if someone comes in…"

This time it was my turn to frown. "And what if an asteroid burned a fiery path onto the planet and destroyed every living being on it? Clark, stop acting like you have a stick up your touckas!" I shook my head and started off for class. He wasn't the only one that was running a touch behind today. I could hear him hurrying to catch up, but I wasn't slowing down. Just as we were about to reach our class, he reached out his hand and pushed me gently against the wall. He still had his lecture face on and I wasn't in the mood.

"Chloe, listen. I know it's a rush to have these powers, but you have to be careful. What if someone saw and wanted to do experiments on you to see the extent of your powers?" What made the difference this time was the fact that his face looked more worried than disapproving.

It was so adorable that he was worried about me. I wanted to kiss the worry away, but that would be overstepping the bounds of our friendship. "Clark, if someone tried to do that, I'd just freeze time and get out of there." It seemed so easy to me.

Clark shook his head. "You're being overconfident, Chloe. What if they secured your hands or if you were tied in place… Or if someone was holding your arms? Remember, we couldn't even budge Lana and Pete yesterday…"

I paled as I realized that he'd been thinking about this much more clearly than I had. "But how would they know…?"

"That you had special powers?" He smiled sadly. "Well, let's think about right now. If our school had security cameras, we would have disappeared from our lockers one moment and appeared outside of class the next. And if someone with a suspicious mind…" He looked at me mischieviously.

I instantly knew who he was talking about. "You mean someone like me, I suppose…" I pulled a wry grimace.

He laughed. "It's not just inquisitive people like you, Chlo. But what about people like Lex… or Lana if she's still mad at you?"

I thought about the football incident and grimaced. What had started out as a childish prank could have turned bad fast. "Okay, I get it, Clark. I think I just let it all go to my head. I promise I'll be a good girl…" I felt very humbled. I wasn't totally invulnerable after all and if I'd known Clark's powers and he'd pulled something like I had this morning, I would have disapproved as well.

Clark chuckled. "Don't promise things you can't deliver, Chlo!" I whacked him on the arm, but smiled in response. "Just be careful. I'll help when I can."

"I knew you would," I grinned. "So, are we in the clear?" I figured I'd put the school on hold for too long already.

He looked around the hallway and scooted a little closer to me. I breathed in his body wash scent and had to fight not to close my eyes and moan. I wanted to scream. I hadn't had this kind of intense reaction to him in such a long time… "I think we're good," he said softly. I found that amusing because everyone was frozen and couldn't actually hear us, but I let it go. "No one's looking inour direction."

As quickly as I could, I let the freeze go. It was like unpausing a movie. Everything continued along without us. I looked up at Clark and realized that he wasn't moving away and was actually staring at me. I smiled. "Clark, if we're going to get to class on time, we gotta' move." He looked a little startled, but didn't move away. I was starting to feel a little nervous myself. Had I unfrozen everyone else and then managed to freeze him? I was starting to panic when he took a deep, shuddering breath. "Clark, are you okay? Did I freeze you or something?" He actually blushed and I thought… Well, it doesn't really matter what I thought, does it? He just shook his head and backed away from me like I had the plague. _Great,_ I thought sarcastically. _We're back to square one again!_ I shrugged. I couldn't keep up with his attitude currently. "Well, I'll see you next period, 'k?"

He nodded dumbly and I moved quickly away. "Ummmm, Chloe?" His voice was actually quavering so I turned around quickly.

"Clark, seriously? Are you okay?" I came up to him quickly and put a supporting hand on his arm. He looked like he was going to pass out and he really didn't need _that_ type of rep at school. "Maybe you should sit down on the stairs or something for a second. Put your head between your knees."

He blushed deeper and shook his head. Now I was really starting to get anxious. What was wrong with him? Finally, I got my answer. "Chlo, would you like to go to the movies tonight?"

I nearly laughed… seriously! That's what had him scared stiff? Did he think that I was going to swear off our friendship because he'd lectured me a little bit? Man, if that was all it took to break our friendship up, he would have broken it off a million times because I was prone to lecture him about anything and everything. "Clark, that would be fine. What time do you and Pete want to meet me at the Talon?" This time he paled slightly. I pushed him toward the stairs. "Clark, what is wrong with you? You gotta' relax! I'm not going to get mad just 'cause you read me a little lecture!" I went to move away, but he captured my hand again. It really seemed like we were in this position a lot lately. He shook his head, but stayed sitting, which I definitely appreciated. My 5'2" frame was in no way ready to catch his 6' plus frame. But there was something… Something I was missing here… "Clark?"

He smiled tremulously. "Chloe, you misunderstood me. I was asking… asking you on a d…d…d…"

Suddenly the pieces fell into place and I wondered if I should be the one sitting down. My head started to swim and my knees felt like they were made of noodles. "A date?" I choked. I didn't know which way to look. He looked at me with those vulnerable puppy dog eyes again and I felt like I was going to melt into a puddle. It was too good to be true. With my free hand, I pinched my leg… I had to know if I was dreaming. All I managed to do was put a probable bruise on my hip. But then my subconscious butted in and I could have screamed. But I had to ask the question my mind posed. "What about Lana, Clark? Are you just asking me out 'cause she won't date you currently? Are you going to dump me as soon as she's free?" I could feel the tears burning, but I refused to let them fall. Even the possibility was enough to make me supremely angry. He'd used me like this before and there was no way on God's green earth I was going to allow that to happen again!

He jumped to his feet as if I'd just set fire to his breeches. "No!" he said a little too loudly and everyone looked our way. The thoughts waving toward us did nothing to help my floundering self-esteem. He blushed a little again. I wanted to pull away, but there was no way I could break his grip.

I turned my face away from his. I didn't want to hear it and I didn't want to guilt him into his answer. "Clark, listen. The first bell was the five minute warning. We have like 30 seconds to get to class." I pulled on my hand, but there was no budging in his grip or stance.

"Chlo, listen," he said in a low, intense voice. "Lana… Well, Lana's changed a lot… or maybe she hasn't and I'm just starting to notice. I've been thinking for a little while that the reason I was convinced that I was in love with her was because every time she came near I'd get weak in the knees. But it was because of that stupid necklace Nell made from the meteor that killed her parents."

A light dawned. "Oh and that's the kind…"

"That hurts me," he finished. He shuddered. "Thinking about it now, it's really morbid to keep the thing that killed your parents around your neck. But I really like you, Chloe… and I think… I think…" He stuttered to a halt.

I had to take pity on the poor boy. I drew close and kissed him on the cheek. "I'd love to," I murmured in his ear.

The shining smile I got in response was almost worth any pain that would come of this… and I knew it wasn't going to be easy. "Great. I'll pick you up around 7?"

I giggled. "Sure you can find my house, farm boy? I mean it is within city limits…" We both laughed and the tension that had been building dissipated as if it had never been there. "That'd be great, Clark. See you later…"

We backed away from each other until we both got tumbled about by someone running to their class. That knocked some sense into us and we gave each other embarrassed grins before moving off to class. I was just glad that we had most of our classes together so I could revel in the thought that Clark had asked me out again… I hadn't thought he ever would after the spring dance disaster… This was turning into the best day ever! I didn't even care that I'd gotten a tardy to add to my ever growing list. Clark had actually asked me out and it was going to happen tonight!

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A/N:** Now, if anyone catches the oldies television reference in the beginning of this chapter, I'll give you two gold stars! For those that have reviewed, I have my responses! ;D _

_Definitions: __Smile #615: Come-hither_

_spaceboi's pixie: I'm so glad you liked it. And just as you requested, you get another… ;D_

_iluvsmallville1: Well, if you're anything like me, in a couple chapters or three, you're gonna' burst into tears! As you know, I write ahead and in a little bit, I nearly cried writing it. Made me feel almost like J.K. Rowling and how she cried when she "killed" Sirius Black in "Order of the Phoenix". I can't tell you how happy that made me. My biggest dream is to have people love my work as much as I do hers…_

_markmark261: I know that things have been (and are going to continue for a little while) going Chloe's way. And her being the underdog is one of the reasons why so many people root for her. But trials are coming her way… Never fear! (Oh, and I'm glad you liked it! ;D)_


	9. Chapter 8

_**A/N:** I want to make this perfectly clear before I get into this latest chapter. I received a review from SMALLVILLEFANFOREVA who asked me about taking stories from other people. In fact, that is not the case. KentCharm did start this fic idea, but didn't want to finish and offered it to me to write up. I have done so and embellished it in my fashion. I have had KentCharm's approval through the whole process, so please don't worry and don't be upset._

_I also don't believe that other's should "steal" another's plotline. It's not fair and great ideas come from the woodwork. Normally, I probably wouldn't have done this, but the story intrigued me and I wanted to see an ending. SMALLVILLEFANFOREVA, I hope this explains the situation to your satisfaction._

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Chapter 8**

My day had flown by like a blissful dream. Classes with Clark were the highlight of my day, but we didn't seem to talk as much. We were both too busy blushing. Pete noticed something was wrong, but he either didn't want to know or he already did. I often underestimated Pete's powers of observations, so I'm sure it was the latter. But everything seemed to go easier. We hardly got any homework for the weekend, and my preliminary articles for the Torch seemed to just fly from my fingers onto the page. I'm not exactly sure what I wrote, but it seemed brilliant at the time. At least I still had time to edit it before the edition was due… when I was out of this happy fog.

I was sitting at my computer, grinning off into space stupidly when the door opened. "Hey, Chloe," Fran drawled as she sat down in Clark's chair. He'd had to go home early to finish his chores, homework and get ready for our… date! I sighed. Even my sisters weren't going to be able to do much to knock me out of this hazy fog. "Saw you playing a bit this morning…" She said it in such a drawl that I had to blush.

I looked down at my hands. "Well… Clark was going to be late for…"

"Clark?" Trinity asked. "So you've told him the whole story, I'm guessing."

I looked up… a little dismayed. "Well, I know you want to keep this all a secret, but Clark's my best friend and I just couldn't lie to him after all he'd already seen…" I trailed off, looking up hopefully at Trinity.

She just rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, Chloe. It's not the first time another mortal has known of us." She looked at me piercingly. "You like him, don't you?"

"Duh!" Destiny said from my side. She was smiling, so none of us took offense.

"Is there something wrong with that?" I was a little worried. I didn't really know all the rules and regulations of this gig. If they had anything to do with giving up Clark… well, they could just take it all back.

"No, no… We've all had lovers at one point or another. They're fun." Vinny grinned lavisciously and I blushed hotly. I knew that they were all considerably older than me, but couldn't they remember that I'm only 17? I mean, I've only had sex with one person and that was a bit of a disaster!

"Vin, seriously!" Willow exclaimed, quickly shutting the door. "Have you no sense of decorum?"

Vinny grimaced. "Will, I love you, but you have got to remember we're in the 21st century now. Sexual promiscuity is the norm. Why should we shelter Chloe? You have _got_ to get your head out of the stone ages!" Then she shrugged. "The worst thing is that we always last longer than they do… and our eternal youth usually upsets them and the neighbors so we have to cut it short." She sighed. I had the feeling that it had happened to her one time too many.

Willow blushed hotly and opened her mouth to retort. "Okay, knock it off, everyone," Trinity said, holding up her hands between the two girls. I felt a little bit of relief… for both having the subject dropped and also for knowing that they didn't get along all the time. That would have been a little too eerie. "Chlo, is he… different?"

They all looked at me and that was very intimidating. But I hadn't been lying to Clark when I'd said I would rather die than reveal his secret… even to my sisters. "What do you mean?"

"We told you some of the stuff yesterday, Chlo… and then you went and visited him and are now closer than ever to him. Come on, 'fess up!" Trinity was smiling, but seemed a bit impatient.

"Stop hounding her, Trin," Willow said and came up beside me to place a hand on my shoulder. "We all have secrets and this isn't hers to confess." She shrugged lightly and turned to me. "It's not easy being different and we can't force Chloe to betray a trust. I know a little about it, but once again, it's not my secret to reveal."

I could have cried in relief. The whole conversation was cutting into my buzz, but it had to be done. "What do you know?" I asked her, curious now as to how she'd found out. She just smiled and put a finger to her lips. I looked around and saw the avid faces of our sisters and realized I'd almost been indiscrete. I looked around at them others, almost afraid they'd be offended. "He's harmless," I said to try and mollify them… but they didn't seem like they needed it.

"Chloe, we love you because you're our sister now," Trinity said, putting her hand on my other shoulder. "But when you joined our elite group, we did some historic searches. You seem to have the 'ability' to attract what you call meteor freaks. I have to check on that."

I nodded, appreciating their care of me, but I really didn't want them to start investigating him like I used to. "Trinity, he told me all about himself and I can categorically reassure you that he is _not_ a meteor freak." _But close_, I mutter to myself softly. _So close…_

"If you're sure, Chloe, we'll take your word on it." She nodded firmly and that seemed to be that.

"1000 percent sure… Thanks, Trin!" I grin at them and get some smiles in return. They all seemed to decide that I had lots of work to do and left my office with various farewells. _It really is nice of them to care so much_, I thought softly.

I didn't hang around the Torch much longer. It was already 5:30pm and I had to get ready. Even though it was just the movies, I didn't want to wear the same thing. And while it was easy getting ready for school, this was a date… a Date with Clark! Even as it was, I felt like I'd spent too much time at the Torch and that I was in a huge rush. I managed to kiss Daddy in my rush up the stairs.

I was just hitting the top step when he called after me. "Chloe, baby! What do you want for dinner?" I whirled around like he'd just informed me of his intention to sell me to the highest bidder. He was just standing at the bottom step with a huge grin on his face.

"Daddy, I'm so sorry! I've got a date tonight. You didn't have anything big planned, did you?" My dad was my mainstay. He was nearly always cheerful and he loved me for all my faults. I think sometimes what I saw in Clark was a young and more idealistic version of my dad. If he would be upset, I would cancel with Clark, even though it would rip out my heart.

He lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? That's sudden… Who with?"

There was something about his reaction that had my eyes narrowed in concentration, but I was so worried about reassuring him so I could go on the date that I didn't pursue it. "Clark asked me today. We're supposed to leave in an hour and a half."

"Does he really expect you to be at his beck and call?" my dad frowned.

_That's not a good sign_, I worried. Out loud, it was all "Oh, no, Dad. It was just really sudden how it happened. I don't think he meant to imply that he thought I didn't have anything better to do… In fact, at first, I thought he wanted it to be a group thing with Pete and maybe Lana."

"Aren't those two dating?" dad asked, frown still firmly in place.

"Lana and Pete? Have you taken some crazy pills that I don't know about?" When my dad winced, I cringed inside. I hadn't meant to remind him of Mom's ailment. Sometimes I worried about it, but most of the time it was such a non-issue. "Dad, I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"

He smiled, a little sadly I thought. "I know, baby. I'm just glad that you can treat it as it's worth."

I ran down the stairs and gave him a huge hug. Sometimes, in my deepest thoughts, I think my dad blames himself for what may happen to me one day. And sometimes, when I'm really down, I have to agree. But unlike _some_ families in Smallville, my parents didn't research both sides' genetic history before pairing up. And Dad had held it in as his most guarded secret for so long… But that really didn't address the issue at hand and my dad didn't let it go for long.

"No, honey. I meant Lana and Clark." I could feel him wince a little at bringing up a sore subject. It had been a hard thing for him to realize that the girl we'd brought into our house to care for wound up betraying me.

I shook my head vigorously. "Nope. They broke up after the 'Lex going crazy and the horse trampling Lana' incident." I couldn't also mention that, if her thoughts were anything to judge by, Clark had dodged a bullet on that one. I almost giggled at my mental pun.

Daddy looked at me firmly, holding me still so I couldn't avoid the question. "And you don't think they'll get back together? Aren't you setting yourself up for more heartbreak?"

I thought about that for a moment. Did I think that Clark would betray me with Lana once again? I shook my head. If his comment of the morning regarding the weirdness of her necklace was anything to go by, he'd finally overcome his infatuation with her. "I think this is it, Daddy. The real thing. We've talked a lot and I don't think he'd purposefully hurt me like that again."

"No, Clark wouldn't… not on purpose." He smiled then, a brilliant one to rival Clark's best. "By the way, he called to tell me nearly the same thing. I have an invitation to join the Kents for dinner." He laughed. "I think they're afraid I'm going to starve if you're not around."

I was relieved but a little puzzled. Clark had called her dad? That was something new. "The Kents are good people, Dad. Plus, ya'll have a great time when you're together."

He smiled. "Of course we do. We all love you and Clark. And I love playing cards with them." He winked. "This'll also be great 'cause Clark can just bring you to his house and I'll take you home."

"Dad!" I shrieked. Was he serious? The best part of a date was the parting at the door. It didn't matter if it was a good or bad date. If it was a bad date, you finally got to get away from a jerk. If it was a good date, you'd usually get a kiss. "Daddy, please. Clark can bring me home. I'll even help pay for gas."

Dad roared with laughter. For a moment I actually thought he was going to fall to the floor. When he finally got a hold of himself, he was gasping and clinging to the front door for support. "Darling, I was joking. I'll be long gone from the Kents by the time ya'll are done with your date. Don't worry. You can get your goodnight kiss…"

"Daddy!" I shrieked again. But he waved me on my way and, since I was already running late, I flew up the stairs. I glanced at the clock and realized I had all of thirty minutes left to get ready for my date. I ticked off the things the time crunch now meant I couldn't do: No bath. No shower. No laundering of a special outfit. No painting of toenails or fingernails. I looked at the mirror and realized that my hair still looked as fresh as it had in the morning, so not being able to wash it was totally fine.

I ripped through my closet, looking for something to wear that would knock Clark's socks off but wouldn't be too fancy. I finally decided on a red wrap shirt, but couldn't decide on the bottoms. I could wear a mini-skirt but that may scream "Take me, I'm yours!" a little too much. Cargo pants were totally out of the question because they were too shapeless and drab. Finally, I selected some pants that were snug, but not too tight. Some wedge sandals finished the deal.

Just to make me feel more special (_Because Clark isn't getting that far on our first complete first date_, I thought savagely… more to myself than to him.), I put on a matching lingerie set that Lana had talked me into buying a year and a half ago. _At least she did me one favor_, I thought caustically. My mind tried to remind me that if it wasn't for her, Clark wouldn't have been able to pull me out of the ground in time… but I wasn't in the mood to be charitable.

I sat in front of my vanity and blessed the PTB that chose this precise time to give me perfect skin. I put on a bit more make-up than I had for the last couple of days and then pinned baby flowers into my hair. I felt fresh and sexy and fun. It definitely didn't have the appearance of trying too hard.

I just happened to finish just in time because I heard Clark knock on the door. I let my dad get it so I didn't appear too anxious and then floated down the stairs. His widened eyes, an appreciative smile and badly hidden gasp were just the topping on my sundae. "You look great, Chlo!" I thought he seemed a little breathless, but maybe that was just me. I could only stare at him. I wondered if Pete or maybe Lex had taken him shopping. He looked absolutely amazing in a jewel blue polo and fantastic jeans. I just knew that if he turned around, his tushy would be perfectly outlined.

"You really do look amazing, sweetie," Dad said and gave me a big hug. "Now, Clark. When do your parents expect me?"

"They said if you'd like to come by in half an hour, dinner should be ready." Clark said it as if he was in a daze and I noticed that his eyes never left me. I wondered briefly if I shouldn't thank Dad for not letting me have more time to get ready. The quick and easy look seemed to do it for Clark.

Daddy looked between the two of us and laughed. "I'm wondering if I should let you two out of the house," he said thoughtfully.

"Why is that, sir?" Clark was ever polite, but still hadn't broken eye contact.

"I'm not sure if either of you can drive if you can't look away from each other." At that, two horrified sets of eyes turned his way. He was engulfed in laughter again and we both blushed a fiery red. But rather than have either of us say anything, he just waved us on our way. Personally, I was glad that Clark knew my dad and his warped sense of humor. I didn't have to be embarrassed for anything other than my reaction to Clark.

Clark guided me to the truck and held my door open for me. I could have swooned. Clark was definitely a boy raised with manners and his parents had done a fantastic job! We chatted on our way into town and I was relieved that we hadn't lost that ability. Sometimes, when crossing over the friendship line, a relationship gets very tricky. But I also sincerely believed that starting with a solid friendship was one of the best ways to start a relationship. I was even more relieved that we didn't stop in at the Talon. I wasn't sure enough of him that I didn't dread seeing him moon over Lana. But I did catch a glimpse of her through the window and noticed that she had a large bandage over her nose and I had to chuckle. When he saw what I had seen, he gasped. "What the heck happened to her?"

I had to struggle to put on my innocent face. This was going to be a tough sell. "I have absolutely no idea." I cannot even express how happy I was to manage the whole thing with a straight, but slightly concerned face.

"Should we see if she's alright?" he asked reluctantly.

I could have sworn… but that was also the type of boy Clark was. I sighed. "If you want to, Clark," I said very reluctantly.

He looked at me for a moment and smiled. "Oh, she looks fine. I'm sure she'd just be embarrassed that we saw her looking so bad." Then he calmly concentrated on his driving while I had a minor fit beside him.

Did my ears deceive me? Did Lana's most avid fan actually decline checking up on her even though he had my approval? Could he tell that I was feeling less than happy about the idea? Had Clark Kent actually grown a "sensitive to Chloe Sullivan's feelings" bone? We found a fabulous parking space considering the theater was one of the star attractions on date night. Clark opened my door for me and he held my hand as we walked to the ticket counter.

I was surprised that he didn't make us agonize over the selection. He just asked for two tickets to "The Producers". I know my jaw fell open in surprise and amazement. I had been talking about the newest Mel Brooks film for six months, but that's usually not enough of a hint for Clark Kent. I couldn't believe that he'd actually paid enough attention to me to know that I was dying to see it. I could have kissed him right there, but I didn't want him to think I was easy or something. He was such a gentleman that I barely knew where to look. He bought me candy, popcorn and a drink, still not asking but picking out my favorites. During the movie, he held my hand the entire time. We even laughed in the same spots! It was a simple generic date, but Clark… Clark made it special. Not just because he was there, but because of all the little things he did that said he _was_ actually paying attention to me and my preferences.

After the movie, we could have gone to the Talon, but it really wasn't something I wanted. Lana would ruin my perfect night. I couldn't bear it. "Would you like…" Clark started and I braced myself, "…to hang out in the loft for awhile?" I must have looked dumbfounded because he quickly backtracked. "But if you'd rather grab a cup of coffee…"

"No!" I said quickly. "It would be so much nicer at the loft." His smile made everything better. Then he showed his driving skills by driving one-handed the entire way so he could keep holding my hand. I was so tempted to scoot into the middle seat so I could cuddle with him, but this was our first date in 18 months or more. I hated to even think it, but Clark was going to have to prove himself before I got too mushy.

When we got to the Kent farm, I was relieved that my dad's car was no where to be seen. What surprised me was that the lights were off in the house too so it looked like Clark's folks were out too. Clark helped me out of the truck and then disappeared for a split second. I could tell that he was using his running skills because of the vortex of wind that spun around me. _That explains why he doesn't super speed through school to get to class on time_, I thought wryly. But before I could miss him too much or wonder what I was doing just standing there, he was back at my side, but with a plate of cookies. "I asked Mom to leave some out for us," he said shyly. I sighed with pleasure and cuddled up to Clark as we walked up to the loft.

We settled on the sofa for a moment and just enjoyed Mrs. Kent's cookies. Clark shocked the heck out of me when he actually put his arm around my shoulders… but I snuggled close. There were a couple of times today that I had wondered if I was dreaming… but if I was, I didn't want to ever wake up.

Clark was the first one to break the silence. I'm not sure if was because he was uncomfortable with it or if this question had just been bothering him for some time. "Chloe, would you tell me a little about your friends?"

I smiled. I still don't think he trusted them. But could I really blame him? "They're all way older than we are. Willow has claimed over 3000 years." I shrugged when he gasped. "I want to believe them, but my mind has been having a hard time wrapping around that. To be honest, I don't know a whole lot about this whole schtick. Do the powers cross over into different goddesses? What happens exactly when a goddess dies?"

Clark had to laugh… even though neither of us thought my death was a laughing matter. "Chloe, what _do_ you know?"

I rolled my eyes. This was going to sound cheesy. I was halfway to accepting it and I still rolled my eyes when I thought about it. "We're here to protect humankind from evil."

I waited patiently and was rewarded. Clark groaned. "Are you serious?"

I held up a hand. "I swear on my laptop that this was what I was told."

"Chlo, I believe that… It's just so…" Clark didn't want to offend me… I could feel it. But I knew what he wanted to say.

"Cheesy?" I provided, giving him the opening he needed.

"Yeah." He laughed again and I knew I could listen to that sound forever. But a rustling sound alerted me that we weren't alone. I sat bolt upright and looked around. "Chloe, what's wrong?" Clark sounded alarmed, but I really didn't want anything or anyone eavesdropping on us tonight.

"I heard something," I muttered distractedly, searching the rafters for that elusive something. An owl landed on the loft's floor and I looked it square in the eyes. I heaved a resigned sigh. "Hi, Willow. What's up?" The owl looked pointedly at Clark and I blushed. "Hey, Clark. Got a spare shirt or maybe some of your mom's sweatpants or something?"

He looked at me. I could tell by his startled look that he didn't know what was going on and that he would have questions later for me, but he shuffled around to find something. It didn't take long before he'd found something… his gym outfit. It wasn't the most fashionable thing, but beggars couldn't be choosers. If Willow was here, something important was going down… She wouldn't have interrupted this night just for kicks and giggles.

Clark sat back down on the couch and I could tell that Willow was staring at him again. "Clark," I sighed. Then I realized that it was better to just not argue and covered his eyes with my hand. I would have crawled up into his lap to do the job, but that wasn't in my non-easy playbook. "And don't you dare do you know what," I whispered. "OK, Willow. Do your thing."

As Willow's owl form seemed to melt and reform into her human one, I was still a little unnerved. The only person I'd seen transform like that had been that crazy Lana stalking girl… What was her name? I shook my head at the irrelevant thought. Willow quickly dressed and I was able to remove my hand from Clark's face. "Chloe…" Willow started, but one word was all she managed before she burst into tears.

I ran to her side and guided her to the sofa, which Clark wisely vacated. It was probably big enough to hold all three of us, but that would have been too crowded for comfort… and comforting. "Willow, what's happened? What's wrong? Is someone hurt?"

Willow quickly got a hold of herself. "Chloe, you have to come with me right now… and we still might not be in time." She grabbed my hand and pulled me to the stairs.

I dug in my heels and dragged her to a halt. "Willow, even if I was just going to run off with you… and I would like to remind you that I'm here on a _date_ with Clark… I couldn't. Clark picked me up."

She looked at Clark with wide eyes. "That's the solution. Clark can get us there in time!"

I looked at Clark and he shrugged. "Just let me find my keys…" I thought he'd thrown them in his pocket, but maybe they weren't comfortable to sit with.

Willow shook her head and hands agitatedly. "No, no. Clark, we need you to super speed us there."

My heart sank. I hadn't told him that Willow knew his secret or part of it before I did… And his accusing look cut my heart out with a spoon. And for one of the few times in my life, I was absolutely speechless…

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A/N:** Okay, for those sticklers out there… I know that "The Producers" didn't come out until 2005 which is two years after the timeframe I've put this story in, but I adore this movie. I cannot express how much I love it. It's funny and I bust a gut every time I've seen it… and I've seen it three times already. It'll be in my video collection directly after it's released on DVD. So I wanted Chloe and Clark to go and see it. It's funny and not mushy. I really didn't want them going to some sappy, romantic chick flick!_

A/N: Okay, for those sticklers out there… I know that "The Producers" didn't come out until 2005 which is two years after the timeframe I've put this story in, but I adore this movie. I cannot express how much I love it. It's funny and I bust a gut every time I've seen it… and I've seen it three times already. It'll be in my video collection directly after it's released on DVD. So I wanted Chloe and Clark to go and see it. It's funny and not mushy. I really didn't want them going to some sappy, romantic chick flick! 

_BabyC2003: I'm so glad you're enjoying it. It's coming along nicely and I hope that the ending measures up to your hopes… and my hopes to be honest! ;D_

_Cherri202: Welcome to the club, my friend. I'm so glad you're enjoying it._

_spaceboi's pixie: Did you catch the oldies reference of the nose? You might only know it if you've watched Nick at Night. I have to confess that I'm such a Chlarker that most of my fan fics have a flavor of it. Isn't that funny? And I won't give up my dreams. Your encouragement pushes me onward! ;D_

_markmark261: Thank you, as always, for the editing. Yeah. I just love having Clark ask Chloe out. And I remember how nauseous my brothers would get when trying to ask out a girl so I made it a little more intense of our superhero! ;D_

_iluvsmallville1: Never fear. My dreams are here to stay. They just take longer than fan fiction to work up. ;D_


	10. Chapter 9

_**A/N:** Has anyone noticed that I don't seem to be able to write a story in less than 20 chapters? I'm on Chapter 9 and just got to Chapter 5 of the old fic. Somebody… stop me! (Not seriously. Think "The Mask" here, guys! ;D)_

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Chapter 9**

"You told them?" he hissed, looking at me through narrowed eyes. Those self-same eyes that had told me he had been having a great time and had barely started to give me hope again.

"Clark, no! I…" I didn't know what to say or how to say it. And I was quailing under that glare. Clark and I have had our differences and arguments before, but this was… different. Now he thought that I'd betrayed his secret to girls I'd only met the day before.

Willow cut in before I could stammer out anything. "Clark, be serious. You're not half as careful about hiding your power as you'd like people to believe. I saw you speeding along two months ago. I haven't told anyone and neither has Chloe… even though our sisters tried to pressure her."

I could have kissed her… I was that thankful that she'd said something. I watched as Clark's righteous indignation melted away and he looked at me with apologies in his eyes. I cocked an eyebrow at him, and then smiled and shook my head. I probably would have had the same reaction.

"I'd love to explain more, you two," Willow interrupted our non-verbal conversation, "but we have to go… _now_."

"What's so urgent, Willow?" I asked the question we were both dying to know the answer to.

"I would explain, but that's not my job this time. Clark, please…" She started to cry again and Clark has never had any sort of defense against that.

He bounced up. "Where?" he asked, his face determined.

Willow's face crumpled. "I… I'm not sure. It's this old windmill…" She had always seemed to have the answers, so this distressed me more than I thought possible. "Trinity had the dream. She said we had to be there at precisely midnight…"

That shook me up and I looked at the clock. Sure enough, it was 11:53. "And you don't have any information?"

"Oh… oh, dear…" Willow trailed off and started wringing her hands.

I looked at Clark. She wasn't going to be a big help in her state right at that moment. I concentrated, hoping I could pull the location at least out of her mind, but instead I got this insistent pull toward… somewhere… My eyes widened as my instincts told me that was where we had to go. "Clark, I know. I'll point in the direction."

We both looked at Willow who had seemed to collapse in on herself. This just seemed so wrong somehow. He shrugged and flung her over his shoulder like a bag of grain. Then he pulled me to his side and I pointed east. Suddenly, everything else seemed to be in slow motion. I felt as if I was being put through one of those gravity spinners they have for astronauts. I cushioned my head against Clark's chest. This was not something either of us had anticipated. I really hadn't wanted our first run to be to an emergency. Ever conscious of the timeframe, I concentrated and when I found I couldn't point my hand because of the forces pressing against me, I whispered them. Clark caught them without any problem and the next thing we knew, he was skidding to a halt in front of one of the many derelict windmills in Smallville. The two cars were sitting in the field and my sisters were huddled around each other.

Fran and Destiny helped us with Willow and guided her to where everyone else was waiting. Clark had to help me. I really hadn't expected to be so disoriented. Maybe it was just easier if he carried a person… I had no idea. But my equilibrium was slowly returning and I was able to focus.

"Thank goodness," Trinity breathed. "You guys were really cutting it close."

"I couldn't find her at first," Willow sobbed. She looked at Trinity, who held her hand tightly.

"Willow said you could tell us what the heck is going on," I said impatiently. I was starting to freak out and that was making me extremely crabby.

"The higher powers contacted me an hour or two ago." She looked around at us and I saw sorrow in her eyes. Everyone else seemed to reflect that sadness.

"What did they say?" I demanded. "If we're supposed to meet this frivolous deadline, I need to know _now_ what's going on." I tried to freeze time, but something was wrong. The windmill continued to turn. This wasn't going to be that easy.

Trinity noticed and smiled sadly. "At this moment, in this place, our powers aren't really working." She took a deep breath and looked me in the eyes deeply. "Chloe, we hadn't intended this…"

"We want to stay… truly…" Willow sobbed.

I stared at both of them with consternation in my eyes. "What are you talking about? What did the PTB say?"

Trinity looked grim. "They have decided that six goddesses on Earth are redundant. They want to consolidate any different powers into one and five of us are being called home."

I gasped and backed into Clark, who was my protection against all bad things in the world and my rescuer. He put his hands on my shoulders and it felt like his strength was pouring into me. "And what happens to those five?"

Trinity closed her eyes. "I guess you could say that we're going to die."

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A/N:** I know it's short, but one and a half pages was all it took to describe exactly what I wanted it to do. And since I've done some seriously big chapters lately… ;D_

A/N: I know it's short, but one and a half pages was all it took to describe exactly what I wanted it to do. And since I've done some seriously big chapters lately… ;D 

_iluvsmallville1: Your wish is my command. But be aware… It's going to get a little weepy soon. I was writing and almost had to stop 'cause the tears were right there._

_coldblueblood: Well, can you tell that I did stick with the original line? Kentcharm had said that he/she (wow, I still don't know the answer to that…) was thinking about rewriting and putting them back in, but I thought it added a little somethin' somethin'. I would love to have Lex in this, but I have yet to figure out how to plug him in. Perhaps in a future incarnation? And I can't decide which role to cast him in. I would love to cast him in a positive role, but he said a couple things to Chloe in last night's episode "Fragile" that I have yet to forgive him…_

_spaceboi's pixie: Boy, you guys are so great. I love that you love my work. Because of that, I'll tell you that I have another fic "What's Up in Smallville" that I put a ballot (well, not really, but it's close enough) in for my next fic. You don't have to read it if it's not your thing, but if you go to Chapter 22, you'll see what I mean._

_Cherri202: -Crazy Danae joins Cherri in the can-can.- I'm so glad you liked it. But the warning to all stays in effect. The next couple chapters nearly made me cry, so beware! ;D_

_BabyC2003: Thank you so much for the praise. I've really been enjoying it._


	11. Chapter 10

_**A/N:** I apologize for the extreme lateness of this update, but my internet connection went down and I haven't been able to get it fixed until just now. But I'm working on this and another idea as well…_

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Chapter 10

I could feel Clark's fury behind me and he wrapped his arms around me, as if that alone would stop whatever was coming. I saw Trinity and the others flinch from what I could only assume was a furious Clark glare. Heavens only knew that I quailed before them. I was really glad that I wasn't the only one. "I understand that all of you are older than any other living person… but Chloe is only 17! She shouldn't have to die because some nebulous entity says she had to."

"But Clark," Destiny chirped, "none of us have a choice in this. When They call, we must answer."

"She didn't ask for this. Why can't they just take their stupid power back and let her be like she was?" Now he was shaking… or maybe it was just me. I was scared. I couldn't lie to myself about it. "This is ridiculous!"

Fran came and stood directly in front of us. "You do not get to decide that, Kryptonian," she said, but her voice echoed weirdly. It didn't sound like Fran at all.

"She's my friend and you're trying to take her life away. That is wrong. I don't care how you twist it around." Clark moved me behind him… again… and faced Fran head on.

"But Necessity requires this sacrifice of our Vessels of Power." This time it was Vinny that came up to us. I was peeking around Clark. Something was definitely going on.

"Did you ask them if she wanted to be a Vessel? No, you didn't." He folded his arms and stood strong. There weren't many things on this Earth that could move Clark when he was like this.

"And what would you give in exchange for her, Kryptonian?" Destiny moved to our side. "If Necessity requires a life, what would you exchange for her?"

Clark considered this for a moment. His face didn't change, but his eyes looked a little scared. He was determined, though. "I'd exchange her for me."

"What?" I shrieked and twirled Clark around to look at me. "Listen, you idiotic farmboy! You do not get to chose to give up your life for me. I refuse to allow it." I could feel angry tears coursing down my face. Clark wasn't going to get the chance to leave me here alone. What about his parents? What about all the people he's saved and will save?

"Kryptonian, would you do this of your own free will?" Willow was now opposite Destiny in the circle around us. I vaguely felt rain on my cheek and noticed that Vinny was crying. But she doesn't necessarily look sad… She looks triumphant. But I had to pay attention to what Willow was saying. "You would guarantee that you would not try to avoid this choice?"

"This is insane!" I scream. "Clark, Clark! Don't be stupid. I'm not worth this." I was begging him… not for my life, but for his.

He looked down at me and smiled… but this time I gained absolutely no comfort from it. "And if I think you are?"

"No, Clark. No… You can't…" I was hysterical now. "What about your parents? What would I tell them? What would I tell Pete and the other kids at school? What about all those people that you're going to help in the future?"

I knew he could hear me, but he was looking at Willow. "I would do it of my own free will and you would have my word that I wouldn't try to escape that fate."

"No!" I wailed, but heard an echoing "Done!" from Trinity who had finally joined the circle. I saw these _things_ that I'd call my sisters start to glow… each one according to their inclination. I threw my arms around Clark. "Clark, I can't… I can't let you. You can't leave me… Please, please!" I felt his arms come around me and I crumpled into him. "Clark, please…"

He kissed the top of my head, just as we were starting to be surrounded by light. "I have to, Chloe. I'd do anything to keep you safe. Just tell my parents what really happened. They'll understand. And they'll come up with a cover story so you don't have to…"

When the light hit us, I didn't know what I was expecting. But it definitely wasn't the searing pain that made my body feel like it was on fire. I knew that I screamed and I could barely make out Clark, who seemed to be yelling my name. I arched against him and was thankful that he could keep me from falling. I was sure he was wondering, like me, what was going on… especially since they'd made us think that Clark was going to take whatever Fate had slated for me.

The world around me turned white and I saw the girls. They were draped in togas of different colors and they were crowned and shod in gold. Trinity was the first one to reach me. "Chloe, we are so sorry to put you through this."

"You mean I was never going to die?" I asked tremulously, tears streaming down my face.

"We were afraid that it would be too hard if we left you entirely alone, but none of us were allowed to stay," Willow pulled me into a hug, comforting me as tears wracked my body.

"Clark is going to be your mainstay," Fran said quietly. She seemed calmer than she ever did before.

"He'll help you where maybe we couldn't." Destiny sounded more assured somehow.

They hadn't betrayed me. They had never intended to take Clark from me. It had been a test. That almost made me angry, but the sorrow of losing them overpowered that other emotion. How had they become so close to me in only two days? And what was I going to do without them? "But I don't know how to do this? I'm not strong enough. I need you…"

Vinny smiled. "Chloe, you are well able to do this. Just remember who you are and act accordingly. We have faith in you."

"But why? Why do you have to leave?" This hurt too much. I wondered if I would wake up anytime soon. My perfect day was turning into a perfect nightmare.

"We're not exactly sure," Willow said, her face growing radiant. "It's something about balancing the power. But we'll be watching over you."

Suddenly, we were all crying and I got a hug and kiss on the cheek from each of them. "Remember us, Chloe," Trinity said softly as they moved away from me.

"How could I forget?" I laughed through my tears. I watched them as they got brighter and brighter. Just as they all disappeared, everything went black for me.

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A/N: Okay, I nearly started crying while reading this chapter. What about you? I always think it's a good fiction if the emotion of the characters touches something inside of you. And it's another short one! Is something wrong with me?**_

_joesarah97: Welcome to my story. I'm so glad you're enjoying it. I can only hope that I measure up. ;D_

_markmark261: I'm so glad you liked it and thanks for the notes!_

_iluvsmallville1: Apparently, your wand is broken. ;D But I've been working hard so, now that my computer system's back, I should be able to update faster…_

_reborn: Thank you for your encouragement. That means a lot to me._

_spaceboi's pixie: Well, I stayed pretty true to the original incarnation of the fic, so it had to happen. I'm not always so comfortable writing sad stuff (I like the light and fluffy), but it didn't turn out too badly. ;D_

_MacGateFan: Thank you so much! I hope you continue to like it! ;D_

_BabyC2003: Oh, don't worry about leaving a note after each chapter. I'm not much of a blackmailer and I'm usually much better at the updating… you know when your computer doesn't hiccup and you're weeks without your internet! Oy!_


	12. Chapter 11

_**A/N:** Have you ever gotten a stitch in your back that you cannot get rid of? This week, I've been plagued with a particularly nasty one… just behind my right shoulder blade. Maybe it's because I don't sit properly in the office or at home… Maybe it's because I have poor posture while working on the computer… All I know is that it's really wrecking my sleeping schedule. Not that this has anything to do with this story… I just needed to complain. ;D OK, on with the story…_

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Chapter 11

I slowly came back to my senses. I felt raindrops on my face, which totally matched the heaviness in my heart. My eyes fluttered open and I saw Clark above me, water or tears streaming down his face. I couldn't tell which, but I suppose it didn't really matter. But the angle was all wrong. I felt his arms around me and his legs under me and realized exactly how we were sitting. I would have blushed at the thought of him holding me on his lap if I hadn't been so miserable. Apparently, he had tried to keep me as dry as possible, which I thought was terribly sweet of him. We were under the windmill, which gave us scant protection from the elements. "They're gone," I whispered. I wondered why my throat felt so raw and my head throbbed with such intensity. Then it came on with even more pain attached to it. "Clark…" I wailed, careless of my sore throat. "Clark, they're gone!" My pain felt like it was raw and chafing in the wind. Those girls had truly become sisters to me in two days… and to have them suddenly and violently ripped from me…

"It'll be okay, Chloe. They're in a better place." His face expressed his hope that this was true, but I'm not sure he believed it.

I did, though. "I know, Clark. I saw them in their goddess glory." I didn't want to admit this, but this was going to be bad… really bad. "They said they had to leave so the big bad that's coming wouldn't be able to multiply its badness. Something about having too many goddesses on hand giving it more free reign or something… And they had been here for so long… Even Vinny has been doing this for over a century." I looked up at him and I knew that fear was shining out of my eyes. "Clark, how am I going to defeat some sort of monster all by myself?"

Clark clasped me to him tightly and I clung to him like the lifeline he was. "Chloe, you won't have to do it alone. I'm here," he murmured as he smoothed my wet hair. Every pass of his hand seemed to soothe the pain my body was in. Then I felt him shudder. "I thought I'd lost you before…" He stuttered off. To complete that sentence would have just brought it too close to home.

I wanted to laugh and tell him it would take a lot more to get rid of me, but such levity was beyond me. To be honest, I hadn't been absolutely sure I was going to make it. And how could I tell him that his willingness to sacrifice himself for me had been the passing answer for some random test… which resulted in my current state? And how would I know what to do? Unlike him, I hadn't been dealing with this every day of my life. But instead of any of that, my mind forced me to ask the inane. "Clark, why are we still here? I'm wet."

Clark laughed and I felt a little glow of happiness. It was always my personal challenge to bring some levity into an overly serious farm boy's life. "I wasn't sure I should move you, Chlo. When the light hit us, you went entirely stiff and then you were hardly breathing. But I couldn't leave you alone and bring help… so I moved us to the closest 'shelter'."

I gave him Smile #14 and had to say, "But Clark… You _did _move me…" He chuckled again, which was nice, but the worry was still in his eyes. In a way, I was glad that he hadn't brought me to the hospital… especially since there was no knowing the physical changes this goddess thing had done to me. But I was feeling better and stronger physically… surprisingly quickly. I sat up and scrambled to my feet. I couldn't even find the strength to look at him.

"Chloe," he protested as he also stood. "Take it easy… You could still be…"

I looked at him and smiled. "Clark, I'm fine… I just…" I trailed off because I still couldn't talk about it… and how his sacrifice now made him my partner in combating the oncoming evil. I cast about for something… anything to change the subject. "Just don't think I'm going to forget your idiotic offer of self-sacrifice."

He looked a little abashed, but his determination remained. "Chloe, get used to it. I absolutely couldn't standby and let something horrible and senseless happen to you when it was possible for me to prevent it." I would have responded caustically, but he went on with hardly a breath. "If you're feeling good enough, I should take you home."

I just stared at him for a moment before I could respond. Was he mad at me? After all we'd gone through the day before, was he reconsidering our relationship… friendship or otherwise? I reluctantly nodded, because of all the things running through my head, I didn't want to voice my fears. He swept me off my feet… literally… and took off. I didn't feel half of the environmental pressures as before, so I knew that Clark was trying to take it easy on me. I would have told him that he didn't have to be so careful, but I was feeling safe and secure in his harms… and if the big evil really was coming, I needed to treasure these moments… especially if he was going to sever all contact now that he knows what trouble this is shaping up to be…

My house appeared too quickly for my tastes. Clark gently set me down. We stood at the door and stared at each other for a moment that seemed to last forever. I wondered if it was just my imagination or if he really was a little pale. The reasons for that were almost too many to list? Could it be that he was scared of me? Was he coming down with something? Was there kryptonite around? But then another possible reason hit me and my heart sped up. It was almost too fabulous to hope for. Was he nervous about kissing me goodnight? I thought about leaning forward to indicate that a kiss would be welcome, but once again… that urge seemed a little too forward. I settled instead for Smile #342.

But against all logic, Clark just smiled back and retreated down the stairs. "Sleep well, Chloe," he said softly. I thought he looked a little disappointed, but that was probably just my overactive imagination.

I didn't want to show him my disappointment, but the impulse to just stand there in shock was overwhelming. "You too, Clark." He waved and raced away. As I turned to enter the house, I heard Dad's car coming down the road. I smiled sadly. Apparently, Clark's precipitous departure could have had some justification… After all, we didn't have his truck and that would look really odd to Dad. I could have done the old "Clark's car broke down about a mile down the road", but Dad would probably offer to drive him to it.

I wanted to be angry with either Clark or Dad, but I just couldn't seem to muster it. After all, Clark had learned my secret, asked me out on a date, offered to give up his life for me and had to care for me while I'd been unconscious. How could he not freak out? And Dad… Well, Dad just had the best case of bad timing I'd ever seen. Quickly, I went inside and sadly trudged up the stairs. Talking to Dad was just totally beyond me tonight.

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A/N: I know it's a short chapter, but to jump into the stuff for the next chapter would just be too bad… However, I did nearly forget to document this smile numbers in this chapter. What a crime that would have been! ;D (**__Smile #14: Grateful for everything someone does for me. __Smile #342: I am totally open to the usual goodnight kiss...)_ I know it's a short chapter, but to jump into the stuff for the next chapter would just be too bad… However, I did nearly forget to document this smile numbers in this chapter. What a crime that would have been! ;D ( 

_markmark261: I was totally distraught when I read you didn't particularly care for the chapter! That's a first for me, but because of your honesty, I cherish it. Hoping it is that you're upset you couldn't bring out your red proofing pen, but that's just me! ;D_

_Anyway, my reasoning behind the Clark thing was that they really had no time to explore further options. And with Chloe being the newest goddess, why would they think she would be best able to take on the Big Bad all by herself? I just wanted the PTB (whom I not too incredibly fond of myself) to feel the need to test Clark on his willingness to be part of the effort. (If you'll remember, the other goddesses weren't really talking in their own voices.)_

_But now it's my turn for honesty… when I was re-reading the chapter to proof it before final posting, I discovered that it really wasn't my favorite chapter either. Something about it, while it did hit my tear bone at first, didn't feel right. But I was so anxious to put up an update that I didn't take the time to rewrite. But I did have Chloe try to rip him a new one… ;D_

_spaceboi's pixie: I scared you? Wow! Now that says something. ;D_

_MacGateFan: I'm glad. Personally, I'm a little irritated at the short chapters recently, but they'll get better soon… I hope! ;D_

_Cherri202: Oh, it was driving me BATTY! So I broke the rules occasionally and used my work internet. (You know… Big Brother is ALWAYS watching you! ;D) But everything is kosher now, so my heartrate can go back to "normal"._

_iluvsmallville1: OK, the wand thing… You're last review said you waved your wand to get me to update again soon… but with the internet connection and all… so that's why I said your wand was "broken". ;D_

_I will say again that while writing the previous chapter, at work no less, I nearly burst into tears. What cracks me up is that between when I wrote it and when I posted it, I really thought I had written it long. Oh well…_


	13. Chapter 12

_**A/N:** I'm an organic writer. Oh, sure. I do up an outline and have a general idea, but I typically let the characters tell me where they should go. That being said, I've got an idea of the "big bad", but I don't think it's bad enough. Maybe that'll just be the testing phase for Chloe. And then I can carry the storyline on and really find the "big bad" later. Hmmm…_

_As a side note, I decided that a dream will be in italics, just like thoughts are. After all, aren't dreams all in our minds? ;D_

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Chapter 12

I got ready for bed in kind of a daze. What had started out as one of the most perfect evenings of my life ended rather badly. In the back of my head, I was worried about Clark… his reaction… our friendship… any chance of a romantic relationship… Now that we knew each other so completely, for that to completely disappear would probably destroy me.

I thought back on his offer to exchange my life for his. It had seemed terribly romantic at the time even though I had been absolutely terrified they would take him up on it, but in the glare of my bathroom light, I wondered if he would have made the same offer for anyone. After all, he'd risked his life for all of us at one point or another. Would he have made the same offer for Lana? I had to swallow back the sour taste in my mouth. He probably would have, I concluded. After all, didn't he really have deeper feelings for her… and of a longer duration… than anything he'd had for me?

I shook my head. This wasn't really getting me anywhere but violently depressed. And I had to do something to keep my spirits up. If I faced what was coming feeling this bad, I wouldn't be able to muster the strength to fight. I finally decided that it was the rain that was doing it to me and I just crawled into bed. Because it was a Friday night, I could have stayed up later, but I just didn't feel like it. I just wanted to be encased in the comfort of my sheets and sleep away my sorrows.

I must have been more tired than I'd thought because I was asleep almost before my head hit the pillow. But I didn't start out with any sort of usual dream sequence. _I was in the same bright, foggy landscape where I had said goodbye to my sisters. I looked around to see if I could see any kind of identifying landscape. It kinda' felt like I'd been there before so it's blankness really surprised me. I walked around, looking for something… anything… or maybe even just to meet my sisters again._

_After what felt like an eternity of walking, I felt that I wasn't alone anymore. "Who's there?" I asked a bit nervously. After all, I couldn't yell for Clark in my dreams… and I had never been able to get Elm Street out of my memory after Clark and Pete had bullied me into watching it._

"_Very good, Chloe," a voice answered and I relaxed. The voice was so calm… so reassuring… that any anxiety I felt melted away._

_But that didn't stop my curiosity. "Why can't I see you? Who are you?"_

_The voice laughed gently. "I'm what your sisters called the PTB… or at least part of it. And you're not quite ready to see me yet."_

_That kinda' annoyed me. "How do you know? I mean, I've seen a lot in my seventeen years. I think you're just a normal guy."_

_If anything, I think he was more amused than I wanted him to be. "Chloe," he chuckled, "if you saw me, you would know how true that is. But now is not the time for that. You must be patient."_

_I snorted in derision. "If you knew me at all, you'd know that isn't my strong point."_

"_Oh, I'm well aware of all your failings… and your fine qualities. Don't worry about that." He sounded so smug that I decided he was wise in not being in front of me. I would have smacked him hard upside the noggin._

_But then it really hit me. I was actually talking to the all-powerful PTB… the ones who took my teachers, sisters and support system away from me. I felt like I was going to burst into flames… I was that angry. "How could you do this to me? Make me a freak… Give me a mission… And then rip away my entire support system?" Angry tears were falling down my face, which only made me angrier. The last thing I wanted to do was to show "them" weakness._

"_Chloe, I'm sorry for your pain, but it was necessary." The sky had turned gray and I wondered if it was due to my emotions or his._

"_How could it be 'necessary'? How can I possibly learn how to control my powers?" I could feel myself relenting and getting a little whiny. I couldn't figure out if this was a well-hidden alter-ego… one that no one got to see._

"_Let's look at this logically." She could hear his smile and she felt herself smiling in response. "You haven't had to deal with the down-side of your gift yet, but the others have been doing this job for a minimum of 100 years. Willow was the eldest of the goddesses and we were actually surprised at how long she was willing to serve."_

"_Serve?" That wasn't a word I was expecting to hear._

"_Yes," he laughed. "Serve. We have found in you and your sisters a desire to help others and a willingness to fight against all odds. That's why you were considered as our last goddess."_

_I was a little embarrassed. I wanted to deny his praise but couldn't seem to get my voice to work. "Why did you keep them in for so long? Wasn't it hard for them to watch their family and friends…" I trailed off. The thought was almost too horrible to contemplate._

_A silent pause grew up around me. "It was extremely hard at times for them personally, but they were committed to the greater good. And they had their sisters for support." He sounded sad. "But the confrontations were more spread out at the beginning. In the last century, different crises have occurred at an increasing rate that's alarming. After a certain amount of time…" I could feel him shrug._

_The panic was rising within me. "And where you had six or at least five, now you expect me to do it all?" I wanted to hyperventilate, but apparently I couldn't do that in a dream._

_The voice sighed. "I can't tell you everything now, Chloe. The night is quickly drawing to a close and I am running out of time. Your trial by fire is at hand, but we have the greatest faith in you, Chloe."_

_I could feel the distance growing between us as if he were walking away from me. "Wait!" I shouted and tried to run forward. But no matter how hard I tried, I didn't make any forward progress… In fact, it felt like I was moving backward._

_The voice laughed… and I was relieved that it just seemed to be an expression of joy instead of mocking. "Don't worry. We'll speak again. But just remember, we didn't leave you with absolutely no support…"_

"Wait! What do you mean? Who are you talking about?" Light was filtering through my eyelids when I now desperately wanted to stay asleep. I tossed and turned and felt my comforter fall off of me. I reached down to pull it back up, but couldn't seem to find it on the floor. Normally, I might have just let it go, but I wanted to pull it over my head to block out the light. Finally, I gave up and opened my eyes to find it. It was right where it should have been… right beside the bed. But I couldn't reach it because I wasn't where I was supposed to be… I was floating at least six feet above my bed!

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A/N: It's a given that the superpower I want most is to fly. While just that does not a superhero make, let's think about Hawkman. He just got all buff and beat the crap out of people. Of course, he had wings that exercised his torso all the time. Hmmm… **_

_For anyone that's wondering about the long delay in update, I caught a bug last week that totally laid me out. It was terrible! But I'm back and rarin' to go!_

_Cherri202: Yeah… I have a problem with the Lana-meister. May she drop off the planet! I still don't' understand why they've made her a main character!_

_Carcassi: I'm so glad you like it. Willow… while I kind of have the "Buffy" Willow in the back of my mind, I don't have any specific basis for them. And thanks for the lovely review._

_cocaleaf: Personally, I love and Chlark action that I can get (I almost expired with the season finale) but I'm trying to mellow out that love. Some people aren't Chlarkers and if I want them to get together, it has to at least be a logical progression… ;D_

_markmark261: No worries about distressing me. I think I was feeling uber-sensitive… and it wasn't something I'd gotten from you before. I hadn't really thought about the smile numbering as manipulative, but I can see your point. You will probably then be happy that I seem to be dropping them as they continue on. I definitely didn't intend on having her be manipulative… Hmmm… I just totally got it from the Hitchhiker's Guide "Trilogy"._

_Any my back feels fantastic now. Thanks for the support! ;D_

_iluvsmallville1: It wouldn't have ended the story. I just wanted Chloe to get a little disappointed… but Clark did have his reasons. My Smallville reviewer friend is always harping on how Clark is always having people sneak up on him when he has super-hearing. I posit that it would drive him mad to have it on all the time, but in a first romantic kiss situation like this, he would be alert for any interruptions or possible embarrassing reveals._

_And like I said… I was totally verklempt at the season finale. I'm going to be working it into a music video soon._


	14. Chapter 13

_**A/N:** I decided that because I've been SUCH the slacker with updating that everyone deserved a new chapter as soon as possible. Hope you enjoy it…(Woulda been up Friday, but I was having trouble uploading.)  
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Chapter 13**

I let out a shriek and windmilled my arms and legs. If life had been anything like cartoons or very predictable television, that would have been the precise moment I would fall to the ground. I breathed a small sigh of relief. I didn't want to start this morning out by crashing painfully to the floor.

I heard a crash in Dad's room and could hear him thundering down the hallway. "Chloe! Chloe! Are you all right?"

Using the light fixture, I pushed myself to the door. I wasn't sure how, but I had to stop Dad from coming straight in. "Dad, I'm fine. Just had a teeny nightmare. Go back to sleep."

He paused outside my door. Never before had I thanked the PTB so fervently for Dad being so respectful of my privacy. He didn't even turn the knob to peek in. "Are you sure, baby? You want me to bring you something?"

"Oh, no!" I swallowed hard to bring my panic under control. "I mean, I'm okay, Daddy. I'm gonna' go back to sleep for a little while."

Dad paused outside and his silence was stretching out long enough that I was starting to get a little nervous… especially as I knew he was still outside my door. I briefly wondered where my mind-reading powers were, but it was so blessedly silent in my head that I didn't want to open that can of worms again. Thankfully, I was watching warily, so I caught him opening the door. "Dad!" I shrieked in horror. "I'm not decent!"

The door immediately stilled. "Chloe," Dad said reluctantly, sounding really stressed out. I wondered what was wrong. He cleared his throat. "Chloe, Clark isn't in there, is he?"

I started to laugh. I couldn't help myself. As it continued, I wondered if it sounded as hysterical as it felt. Was it the thought of getting caught by Dad in bed with a boy or the fantasy becoming reality of Clark in my bed? Finally, I was able to get a hold of myself. "Clark dropped me off at home just before you got in. I would have said good night, but I was totally beat!"

Even through the door, I could feel his relief warring with his suspicion. I decided to take pity on him… and it seemed like it would be good for my current situation. "Dad, Clark's going to come by later and I need a little more sleep." I laughed again and winced at the bitterness within it. "You can listen to see if someone tries to sneak out…"

When I heard Dad laugh, I knew that he had been reassured. "Okay, honey. Go back to sleep. I'm going to go fix some breakfast." His footsteps sounded down the stairs and I heaved a sigh of relief. I'd bought myself some time… but not too much.

My mind ran through all the possible solutions. I was already by the door, so I tried to reach the door knob. I had never cursed quite so fluently about my small stature. I had to practically stand on the ceiling to give myself the "boost" to reach the knob. I pushed myself as far down as I could. When I let go, I was hoping that I would at least stay where I was… Instead, I crashed back into the ceiling.

I hung there for a moment, mentally reviewing all the curse words I could remember in any language. It would have been more satisfying to scream them out, but I really didn't want Dad to see me plastered on the ceiling. I didn't think his heart could take that. When I'd reviewed my entire inappropriate vocabulary, I was truly at a loss for what to try next. Since my sisters weren't around, I only had one other person to ask who had powers.

I hauled myself along the ceiling until I was hovering over my purse… lying innocently on the floor. I decided then and there that I was always going to leave my purse on my desk. Even pushing off as hard as I could from the ceiling didn't bring me closer to it. I had a phone line in my room for my modem, but I didn't have an actual phone for it. I wanted to throw a tantrum, but that wouldn't get me my phone any faster. I looked around for anything that could help me. My eyes fell on the closet. I wanted to dismiss it right away because most of my hangers were plastic or wood. But then I realized that Dad may have picked up my dry cleaning the day before. I moved as quickly as I could to the closet and hauled myself down to peer inside. I grabbed the entire dry cleaning bag, blessed the fact that we didn't just use Dryel®, just before I slammed back onto the ceiling. I didn't worry too much about the state of my clothes as I ripped a hanger out of the bag and fashioned a hook with it. Thankfully, from that point on, it was an ultra-simple matter to haul my purse up.

I snagged my cell quickly and noticed my hands were shaking as I dialed Clark's number. "Kent residence," a feminine voice came from the other end.

"Mrs. Kent, is Clark home?" I tried to stay calm, but I wasn't sure how successful I was.

The answer to that unspoken question came fairly quickly. "Chloe, is everything all right?" My heart warmed with the concern in her voice. I always appreciated how Martha Kent showed that she cared for me as a person, not just Clark's friend.

"I'll be fine, Mrs. Kent." I could hear the smile in my voice and knew she could as well. "I just really need his help with something."

"Oh, I see," she said reassuringly. "Do you want to wait for him to come to the phone or just have me send him your way? I ask because he's helping Jonathan in the back 40."

I thought about it for a moment, setting aside my appreciation for her thoughtfulness. "Oh, if you could just tell him that I need him right away… that would be terrific."

"I'll let him know right away," Mrs. Kent said. "Is this anything that I can help with? What about your father?"

I tensed a little. I could only too clearly imagine Mrs. Kent's face if she saw me floating in the air… It didn't matter that she'd been dealing with Clark's special abilities for years. There had just been too many bad examples of people with super powers in Smallville. "Thanks, Mrs. Kent. But this is really a job for Clark…"

Mrs. Kent paused, but didn't leave me hanging for too long. "Okay, sweetie. I'll find Clark directly and send him your way."

The relief I felt was considerable. "Thanks, Mrs. Kent. I really appreciate it." We hung up together and I was left alone to pray that my father wouldn't check up on me.

Thirty minutes later, I heard the Kent truck barreling down the road. I was really surprised that Mrs. Kent was able to find Clark so quickly, but I suppose I shouldn't have been. She could have just stood on the porch, called his name, and waited for him to rush up. Having a super-powered teen for a son may have its drawbacks, but there were some definite perks.

A knock sounded on our front door and I waited breathlessly for Clark's footsteps to sound on the stairs. Instead, Dad started talking. "Hello, Clark. What can I do for you?"

"Hi, Mr. Sullivan. Is Chloe at home?" I had to smile at Clark's dissembling. All those years of hiding really enabled him to lie well sometimes… not to me, but still.

"Clark, it's 7:30 in the morning!" Dad exclaimed. I cursed my excuse of earlier. I should have told him Clark was coming over for a school project… and I'd shrieked because I was late in getting up… and he couldn't come in because I was in the middle of getting dressed. I had to roll my eyes at my lack of foresight.

"She didn't tell you I was coming over early?" Clark asked and I could just picture his expression of wounded innocence. "She asked me to come over early to work on a class project…" I was shocked. Had Clark read my mind?

"Sorry, Clark." Dad was sounding stubborn and I could have spit… I was so frustrated. "She sounded like she had a really rough night. Could you come back in at least an hour?"

Finally, I'd had enough. Discretion was all swell, well, and good, but it could be taken to extremes. "Dad, who's there?" I shouted downstairs. I had decided at the last moment to pretend I hadn't been eavesdropping with every fiber.

"It's Clark, honey. I didn't know you were supposed to be working on a project." It made me really happy that he never questioned me too closely.

"Sorry, Daddy! Would you mind sending him up?" I listened to the door shut and footsteps exactly where I wanted them. I moved as far away as I could from the door.

Clark's knock made me smile. He was always so mannerly. "Can I come in?"

"Get your butt in here!" I nearly shouted in exasperation. He knew I was waiting. I'd given him the perfect excuse to just come in… but he was pushing the manners card too far.

He walked slowly into my room. His eyes darted around and he looked very concerned. "Chloe, where are you?" he whispered.

"Up here, Clark." When his eyes met mine, they widened in shock. Then he surprised me by bursting into laughter and collapsing on my bed. I had to try really hard to rein in my temper. When it continued on and tears started streaming down his face, I reached the end of my rope. "Clark!" I hissed. "It's not that funny!"

He looked at me and I could tell he was really trying to get himself under control. He took a couple of deep breaths. "What happened?"

"I have no idea," I gritted. Apparently the situation was really getting under my skin. "I woke up like this. It scared the crap out of me and then I got to scare Dad."

"And you didn't just fall back down?" Clark's eyes looked thoughtful. "What were you dreaming about?"

I was a little embarrassed. Did I really want to confess that I'd spent the night between mooning over him and arguing with the PTB? I decided I didn't have to confess _everything_ to Clark. "I was arguing with Trinity's higher power."

"You what?" Clark exclaimed, his mouth dropping open in shock.

"Did I stutter?" I snarked and rolled my eyes. "I talked with, and therefore argued with, the PTB."

"But why?" He looked concerned, but also very curious.

"Why?" I laughed, but my bitterness was apparent in the extreme. "Well, let's see, Clark…" I started ticking off my issues on my fingers. "They threw me into an impossible situation… They took away my teachers and support system… They expect me to do this all by myself… Need I go on?"

"Wait a minute, Chlo." Clark looked a little offended and I wondered what _his_ problem was. "You're not alone. You have me."

I laughed and his offended look just deepened. "Clark, how would you know what I'm going through?"

He looked at me sternly and didn't say a thing… until I realized exactly what I'd said. I blushed hotly and he nodded wryly. "I've been in the same position you have… probably more times than you'd think. I'm probably even more qualified to help you cope than Trinity and the others would have been."

My blush grew hotter with each word. If I couldn't get my embarrassment under control, I'd probably burst into flames. "I didn't mean… It's just that…" I couldn't seem to finish a sentence, which was really annoying. It felt like I was accepting his criticism and I wasn't ready for that this morning. "Well, you've never found yourself floating over your bed…"

He chuckled. "Actually, it's happened a couple of times…"

"What?" I was shocked. How come I didn't know this? "How'd you get down?" I pleaded desperately.

He shrugged. "Every time it's happened to me, I dropped out of the air when I woke up…"

I sighed. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. "Well, get me down from here if you're such an expert!" I demanded imperiously.

Clark shrugged and I could tell he didn't think it would help. He reached out and grabbed my waist. I'm not exactly sure how he did it, but he managed to get my feet on the ground. I smiled in triumph, but once he let go, I shot back up to the ceiling. I would have bashed my head pretty good if Clark's reflexes weren't so good. He grabbed my hand and hauled me down to his eye level.

"What do you suggest I do now, Chloe?" Clark asked. His voice seemed a little wary.

I could feel the tears start to roll down my face as hopelessness took hold of my heart. "I don't know, Clark! Am I going to be like this forever?"

Clark frowned at me. "Stop it. You're getting hysterical and that's not going to help anything!" He started pacing and I felt like a balloon bouncing along behind him.

Finally, nausea forced me to say something. "Either let me go or stand still… If you don't, I'll decorate your head with yesterday's theater snacks."

He stopped as quickly as if Lana had needed to cross in front of him. I bobbed into his back with a squeal of protest. "Sorry, Chlo," he said with a blush. He looked at me curiously. "Don't you have any control of your movement?"

I thought about it. "I haven't really tried," I said slowly. It was a little embarrassing that I hadn't tried at all. But I was unwilling to admit that to Clark. A side thought floated in my brain that was surprised that I was willing to dissemble. Why would I _have _to tell him when I got super powers, but avoided stuff just when it was embarrassing?

Clark smiled. "Well, maybe that's the key… When I've had a new ability crop up, it always takes me a lot of conscious effort to control it at first."

I looked at him blankly. "What does that have to do with…?"

He smiled, which was nice, but it was slightly condescending, which wasn't. "You're going to have to 'think' yourself down."

It clicked in my head. "Mind over matter, huh?"

Clark shrugged. "For right now. And then it's all about practice."

I sighed. Could it really be that simple? "I didn't want to be up here," I stated thoughtfully. "Why didn't _that_ cut the power out?"

"Maybe you were more focused on being stuck near the ceiling rather than your desire to be back on the ground." He grimaced. "Maybe that's why I always crash back down. When I wake up, my mind screams at me about how impossible the situation is, and then it suddenly _is_ impossible."

It made sense… surprisingly so. It seemed so unusual that anything related to this situation could be logical. I closed my eyes and focused firmly on my desire to have my feet firmly planted on terra ferma. I felt like there were sensations of movement, but worried that it might just be my imagination. When I felt a pressure on my feet, I held my breath, afraid that it wasn't actually true.

"Chloe!" Clark crowed in triumph. "You did it!"

I opened my eyes and shrieked with joy. My excess of relief and excitement was almost too great. I leapt into Clark's arms. "Clark, thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" With that, I drew his head down and kissed him.

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A/N:** Ah… Longer… I'm so happy!_

A/N: Ah… Longer… I'm so happy! 

_BabyC2003: I'm sorry I made you wait so long… so totally thanks for your patience! This "fast" update is your reward! ;D_

_iluvsmallville1: I am probably going to be working on it this weekend. Maybe I'll even do the one where I changed the lyrics (Who? Me?) so had to sing it. (Not my favorite sound quality, but it works… You can find my previous videos at __the ho__me page you can find under my profile... and it's under my "Fun Stuff" section. Right now, it's heavy into Harry Potter but I'm branching out soon…_

_I know that the last couple chapters have been short, but I think I'm getting better. At least this one was five pages in Word BEFORE I addressed everyone's reviews! ;D_

_Cherri202:__ I'm glad you like it… And did I misread or did you say that 70 of your group/guild have read this story? That's incredible! And I'm so humbled by that (if I'm not taking it the wrong way)! Thank you! (And Lana should be removed from the series and I'm totally serious about this. I don't understand why she's still there. She's a secondary character, even less important that Lois and that's really saying something for me and yet they still treat her like a main character! Oy!)_

_spaceboi's pixie:__ Obviously your wish is my command! ;D_

_markmark261: I'm so glad you found how to fix the plural of "crisis". It was totally kicking my can!__  
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	15. Chapter 14

_**A/N:** Oy! It's getting closer… Closer to the end… Oh, don't worry, I still have like 7 more chapters planned… and some of them are as short as this one. I guess I'll just have to suck it up, hmmm?_

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Chapter 14

The kiss deepened spontaneously and I felt breathless with delight. It was a response to our mutual attraction… and I realized that maybe Clark _did_ like me more than just friends. Maybe he wasn't totally freaked out by my goddess powers. Clark broke the kiss and I was totally charmed. But I also could feel the awkwardness crop up again. Maybe we weren't ready to address a new aspect of our relationship. I looked away and moved toward my desk. "Thanks, Clark," I said shyly. "If you hadn't come over…"

"I didn't want to leave you hanging…" Clark said wryly, his face twisted in a self-depreciating grin. I laughed lightly, mainly to reward him for trying to lighten the suddenly serious atmosphere. "Now that we got that problem solved, what brought it on?"

I considered the question. "Well, I had my 'meeting' with one of the PTB, but I didn't have any sensation of flying." I frowned fiercely. "I haven't been so angry and frustrated in awhile. I was upset that they'd taken my sisters and support system just before I'm going to have to face some serious trial… I think he said it was going to be a 'trial by fire', but that can't be literally. What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"Didn't we _just_ discuss that you're not alone?" Clark sounded a little miffed at me. "You don't have to do anything alone. I'm right here!"

I was a little taken aback. Have I been so sunk in self-pity that I was ignoring the resources I _did_ have? "Sorry, Clark. I know we're a team… but you don't have any experience with these powers!" I felt like the blackness of despair was pressing in on me… suffocating me. "Maybe it would have been better if one of my sisters had been left behind instead…"

Clark's brow beetled together and he glared at me. "Chloe Sullivan, stop that right now! You were left behind for a purpose. Maybe the PTB left you behind because you were the most qualified to face this... whatever." I shrugged non-committally and his eyes turned shrewd. "You're just scared."

"That's just… You've totally missed the…" That bald statement set off my anger again, but I couldn't complete a sentence to deny it vehemently. Probably because it was true. I could feel my shoulders sag in defeat. "I am, Clark. I really am." I pulled in a shuddering breath. "I'm not strong enough for this!"

When Clark started to laugh, I felt really offended. "Sorry, Chlo," he said after he was able to get control of himself again. But when he looked into my eyes, his sincerity shone through. "You're one of the bravest people I know. Even if you _did_ have to do this alone, you have the ability to change and save the world."

With that simple statement, my heart began to swell in my chest. If Clark believed in me, how could I possibly fail? My eyes burned with unshed tears. "Thanks, Clark," I choked.

Clark blushed and ducked his head. We sat in silence until Clark shook his head. He looked up at me and smiled brightly. "If this is going to happen as fast as you think, we're going to have to start your training program right away."

It made a lot of sense, so I nodded. I may be stubborn, but this was his bailiwick. "What do you suggest?"

"Well, I'm thinking we should go to the farm and practice. With the fields and everything, we wouldn't have to worry about anyone seeing us."

It kinda' shocked me that Clark… my Clark… was thinking so logically. Wasn't that my job? I got up and grabbed my bag. "Alright, let's get started."

Clark stayed exactly where he had been as I walked to the door. I looked back with the obvious question in my eyes. He blushed hotly, but looked very determined. "Chlo, I don't think Mom would… appreciate… your pajamas."

I looked down and shrieked. In all the excitement of the morning, I had totally forgotten that I hadn't been able to get dressed. "Clark! Why didn't you say something? Tell me sooner?" I practically shoved him out the door.

His laughter sounded through the wood. I was totally mortified. Why hadn't he reminded me? "Hey, Chlo." I was surprised that he was still hanging around outside my door. "When did you steal one of my shirts?" His laughter traveled down the hallway and down the stairs. I collapsed on the floor, wishing I really _could_ die from embarrassment… But Mr. Clark Kent wasn't going to get the last say in this one…

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A/N: This was a bit of fluff that I absolutely had to put in. I'm sure some guys have wondered what Chloe wears to bed… Now you know! ;D **_

_jessicatay: Welcome! I love sucking new people into my version of Smallville! And I'm so glad that you enjoyed my work… especially considering you're new to FanFiction. I feel very priviledged!_

_carcassi: Chlark… Ah, that's my fave bit. Perhaps that's the reason why I dislike Lana so much. In regards to the writers of the show… Well, I have to admit that I really wish they'd look back at their first outlines of the characters and actually watch past episodes. They seem to forget where they've gone and then they totally go against character. It's so tiring!_

_markmark261: Actually, in regards to the sleeping and flying bit, I think I was intending that it was the PTB's way of showing that she did have Clark to show her the ropes. But wouldn't that be funny if she went camping and then just floated away… Maybe next time! ;D_

_Cherri202: I'm so honored! I hope you and your friends continue to enjoy my work… and I hope that continues._

_CSLUVSCK: Another fan! Have I mentioned lately how I appreciate how much ya'll seem to like my work? It makes the whole thing more motivating. I would probably continue to write anyway, but it helps give you that oomph to keep at it… AND ya'll make me write better so I don't disappoint! I mean, that's the best part!_

_BabyC2003: I've noticed that even when I try to do more drama/serious, I still have to throw in the funny. Is it any wonder why Joss Whedon and Mel Brooks are some of my inspirations?_

_iluvsmallville1: Well, did you check out my site and my Smallville video? Tell me what you think? This took me a little longer to post, but the past two weeks have gone absolutely crazy for me!_

_joesarah97: No worries about not reviewing… I just love that you still like it._

_MacGateFan: I am feeling better… and I'm staying away from all sickies! Now if my life can just go back to boring normal, I might be able to update even better! ;D_

_I will take a moment to say that if you do see anything glaringly wrong, please let me know. I have my grammar proofer (markmark261, you always rock!) but character motiviation is also a big part. Don't worry that I'll get mad… I may cry a bit, but I won't get mad… ;D_


	16. Chapter 15

_**A/N:** Have you ever been writing a chapter and realized you'd written part of it before? What cracks me up is that I'd written it 9 chapters ago! I guess I was feeling a little out of touch of my previous writing. If I wasn't trying so hard to keep up, I would go back and read it all. But mostly, it's reactions to things… You know, like when Clark left Chloe at the dance… That Pete found out about Clark's powers… Clark's lust for Lana… You know, stuff like that…_

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Chapter 15

It didn't take me long to recover and I quickly dressed. Almost of their own volition, my hands grabbed those colors that worked best with my new skin tone. As I dragged them on, I also noticed they were tighter than my previous norm. I looked hot! It would definitely keep or peak Clark's interest… and maybe just get him back for the shirt comment. But at least my subconscious hands weren't impractical and they were clothes I could actually use for what should be a hard work-out.

I tripped down the stairs gracefully, all previous memory of embarrassment banished to a locked closet in my mind. When Clark saw me, his face went pale and then flushed hotly. Smile #4 indicated how much that reaction pleased me. He swallowed hard before he allowed himself to speak. "So, where's my shirt?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

I just tossed my head at him. "Yeah, like you're getting _that_ back…"

He looked at me with shocked eyes, but didn't get a chance to say anything. Dad beat him to the punch. "You wore his shirt to bed?" He looked scandalized and I could hear his doubts returning. I glared at Clark and wondered if Dad had secretly been watching some _Lifetime_ movies.

I laughed and hugged my father. "Daddy, where do you think I got that plaid shirt I've been wearing for four years? You've seen me wear it to breakfast a billion times!" He breathed a sigh of relief and I saw serenity refill his eyes. "Daddy, we're going to the Kent Farm. Mrs. Kent has some of the supplies we need, so we're just going to finish the project there."

He nodded and turned back to the college football game he'd been watching. I was totally tempted to grab the remote and see if he had been watching _Lifetime_... but let that one go... for now! "What do you want for dinner, baby?"

"Don't know yet. Would you mind if the project runs long that I stay and eat with the Kents?" A distracted nod was all I needed and I pulled Clark out of the house. I glared again at my best friend. "Clark, how could you do that to my dad? I thought he was going to have a heart attack!"

Clark looked a little chagrined, which made _me_ feel better. "Gee, Chloe, I'm sorry… I hadn't even thought about that…"

I was totally exasperated. "Clark, what decade do you live in? We were on a date last night… no matter how it ended…" I chuckled wryly. "He was actually afraid this morning that you were in my room." Clark looked shocked and I smiled. As much as I complained about his naivety and his old-fashioned streak,I didn't really want him to change. To me, he was a shining relief in this cynical and crazy world. I rolled my eyes to keep the pretense up, though. "Come on, farm boy. If we sit here yakkin' all day, I'll never get any practice in."

Clark nodded wryly. He raced ahead of me to open my door for me. I had to bite my tongue rather than snark about getting used to being treated like a princess. That would just tip him over the edge today. I was thankful that the ride to the farm was in companionable silence. We needed those moments to focus on the day. I had no illusions about it being an easy day. As we drove up the driveway, I realized something that had to be decided right then. "Clark, what are we going to tell your parents?"

I could have smacked him when he just shrugged. "It's not really my decision, Chloe. Mom won't pry, but I know she'll be curious." He looked at me briefly with serious eyes. "I know this is really new to you, but I really believe that you need a core group of people that know the secret." He smiled wryly. "They help cover for you in impossible seeming situations. You'd never believe how often Pete…"

That took me entirely by surprise. "I still can't believe Pete knows," my voice trembled with the hurt. Why wasn't I considered trustworthy enough to know before I shared my secret?

Clark grabbed my hand. "I wanted to tell you… but please understand…" He took a deep, calming breath. "Mom and Dad have always insisted that I couldn't tell _anyone_. They're afraid that one day the government will find out and take me away… Maybe lock me in a lab somewhere…"

I thought about that briefly… and had to admit that he had a point. A couple of years ago, I would have been hard-pressed to understand his desperate need for privacy when I could give everyone solid proof that my best friend was unique and amazing… "I can see where they'd be worried about that… especially with the Luthors around."

He smiled in relief. I wasn't absolutely certain how okay I was with the fact that Pete knew way before me, but it really was water under the bridge at this point. What was the point in making both of us more miserable? And if I made him too guilty or mad, would he still be willing to help me? It just wasn't a chance I was willing to take. So I focused on what had brought it up. "How do you know if it won't freak them out?" I looked at him sadly. "Like I really don't think Dad would have made it if he'd walked into my room to find me floating near the ceiling."

Clark laughed. "I wasn't sure I was up for it, and I already knew your secret! But you'd be surprised at what our parents can handle." He looked pensively out the windshield. "When I think how my parents helped me and accepted all the mistakes I made… Well, I don't know what would have happened to me if they hadn't been the ones to find me."

I thought about that pretty hard. It was true. What if Lionel Luthor had been the one to find him? The world would have gone evil and dark pretty quickly if he had those types of powers at his disposal. After all, look what he had done to Lex… But there wasn't really a lot of time to continue to discuss the issue because we were already parking in front of the farm house. "Clark, if you don't mind, let's leave it as is currently. As much as I love your parents, I'm not ready to start sharing. I don't even want to tell Pete yet… and especially not my dad…"

He smiled at me understandingly and nodded. "I got it… But I'm there for you if you want to do some discrete unveiling…"

I laughed and we got out of the truck. He might have opened my door for me, but I suddenly felt a large desire to do some things for myself. Lately, I've been relying on him a lot… and I haven't ever really gotten used to that. It was endearing, but sometimes I felt like I was losing myself with that growing reliance.

Mrs. Kent was nowhere to be found as we came nearer to the house and I found myself perversely disappointed. I _should_ have been happy because now it would be easier not to tell her the big secret, but I've never been one to have an easy attitude. Clark led me out into the cow fields. After we'd walked what felt like forever, he looked around and stopped. "I don't think we'll be bothered here."

"Where are your parents?" I asked, also looking around. It seemed like the perfect spot because there was absolutely no way anyone could see us from the roads.

"They're on the other side of the property," Clark said. "Dad's working on removing some stumps from some pasture land he wants to develop. We'd gotten all the hard ones out, so I don't feel too guilty for leaving him on his own."

The guilt hit me hard. "Clark, if you should be helping your dad…" I wanted and needed his help, but I couldn't ask him to neglect his duty to his family. For crying out loud, they'd been too good to me for me to turn around and treat them so badly.

He smiled and once again I wondered if he could possibly read my thoughts. "Nah, he's okay. It's just some alder starts that he has to dig out." He laughed. "As much as Dad uses my abilities to help with the hard jobs, I think he really enjoys doing the little jobs by himself. It was probably a relief to him that you needed me before I tugged them all out of the ground in five minutes." His cavalier attitude relieved my mind no end. I smiled back at him shyly and then I wondered what we should do next. I voiced my question and his grin widened. "Chloe, when I've had to learn to control a new power, it's more about controlling myself. Now it's your turn."

I looked at him in wide-eyed wonder. He was making more sense than usual and it gave him a new confidence that I found hugely attractive. But I was his student here and it was more important to get control of my new powers rather than act on the attraction I always felt for him. I looked up at him, trusting that he could help me. "So, what do you suggest?"

He had paled a little and I wondered why, but it was gone so fast that I had to wonder if I'd imagined it. "Let's work on the one that has been hurting you the most… your telepathy. You need to get to the point where you can tune out the thoughts of others if you need to, but also be able to access them as well."

"I don't know if I want to ever access them again, Clark," I said slowly. "I feel like the ultimate Peeping Tom."

He shrugged. "I suppose that's your choice, Chlo, but there may come a time when you need it. Wouldn't it be better to practice both aspects just in case they're needed, but plan on never actually using it?"

He made a lot of sense and I grimaced. That was just what I needed… a logical Clark Kent when I'm feeling anything but logical was not a pleasant feeling. But spending an entire day with Clark when he was focusing solely on me… Well, that made up for a lot of the downsides. I watched him sit cross-legged on the ground and I had to restrain a giggle. I would never have thought of Clark as a meditating sort. I copied his movement and was glad that I wasn't wearing a skirt. As much as I wanted Clark's attention, I _wasn't_ going to be that free with the view…

He clasped my hands in his and took a deep breath. "Okay, Chlo. First, let's try to push out your mental power. Mom and Dad are on the other side of the farm. See if you can hear them."

I closed my eyes and tried to relax when all I was feeling was a nervous tension. It was such a relief to not have the thoughts of others intrude into my head that the idea of consciously looking for that made me a little sick. But he was right. There had to be a reason for this power and if I couldn't control it, its purpose would be null. I tried to reach out in my imagination but tons of things kept distracting me. The feel of Clark's hands covering mine… The sound of a car racing by on the highway in the distance… The rustle of the wind through the tall grass… Finally, I thought I could just make out a faint tendril of something… I put all my attention into finding out what it was.

"_I hope Chloe's okay… She sounded so worried on the phone…_" I could hear Mrs. Kent's voice as if she were whispering in my ear. I had to smile that she was worried about me. Of all the adults in town, she was most tolerant of all my faults and foibles. She hardly ever got mad at me for the escapades I invariably pulled Clark into.

"_Martha is so hot when she helps me bring in the wood. I wonder if she would mind a little tryst in the back forty…_" Mr. Kent's voice sounded husky and I blushed at his thoughts. I could almost see a yearning smile cross his lips. I tried to break off contact, but I felt like I was caught fast. And then even more people started in on me.

I gasped and pulled one of my hands free from Clark's to hold it to my head. "There's too many…" I cried. It was almost painful how the thoughts were hammering at me.

"Chloe," Clark said calmly. "You have to concentrate. Just exclude them from your mind." He paused for a moment, obviously trying to think of a better way to say it. "It's like you're building doors that only you have the key for."

I squinted at him, but nodded. It made sense… and I had always been proud of how I could control myself and my reactions. Slowly, I closed the door on each person and the pain lessened with each. When I was done, I could have shouted for joy. "They're gone."

Clark smiled. "That's great, Chlo. Now try again."

I could only gape at him for a moment. "Try again? Are you crazy?"

"Practice makes perfect," he said. I thought he looked a little smug about it, but had to admit that he had a point. I shrugged and closed my eyes. "Okay, now search for a specific person…" he said slowly. "Try Lana…" I grimaced and he sighed. "Okay, maybe that's not the best idea. Try whomever you'd like."

I thought about it for a moment. "Okay, how about my cousin Lois…" I took a deep breath and reached out. For some reason, it seemed really easy to find her.

"_Damn that colonel! Who the hell does he think he is?_" Her fury was like a cleansing fire, but before I got too involved in her problems, I shut the door.

I smiled, but kept my eyes shut. "That was easy. Who next?"

Clark and I kept up the mental spying as he threw more and more unknown names at me. Distance definitely made a difference and some people felt denser than others, but if I concentrated hard enough, their thoughts were laid open to me. When we stopped to take a break, he smiled at me. "That's great, Chlo."

I smiled back, but had to still a shudder. "I really don't like this type of snooping, Clark… and if you hadn't taken the time to help me practice, it's quite possible that they could have driven me mad. Can you imagine the world's thoughts beating in on you?"

He shook his head slowly. "That's something you either already know or will learn quickly. With great power, comes great responsibility… and the drawbacks aren't always pleasant. But if you do your best…"

We both looked at each other somberly. The euphoria of my success was being drowned in these deep thoughts. I shook myself. "Okay, what do we practice now?"

His serious eyes told me that he acknowledged my change of subject, but I worried that he would bring it up again. But he took a deep breath and just said, "Well, you seem to have pretty good control over thoughts, so maybe we should address your latest…"

I almost jumped up and down in excitement. "You mean the flying? I'm so excited! When Destiny talked about her ability to fly, I was so jealous! Do you think it'll be hard to master? How do we get started?"

Clark laughed and just pulled me back down to a sitting position. "Getting yourself all excited isn't going to help your concentration. Now, center yourself first."

I had to bite back my automatic snark, but he was my instructor right now. I should probably take advantage of his experience. I sank back down to the ground and concentrated on my breathing. I could feel the calm stillness seep into my very pores and when I felt an absolute calm, I opened my eyes and nodded at Clark.

"Okay, Chlo," he said softly as he released my hands. "Just like before, imagine yourself six feet in the air. Your knees would be just below the top of my head."

I could hear him standing and wondered briefly what he was thinking. But that exercise was over and this was something I really wanted to control as soon as possible. I took a deep breath and pictured myself slowly raising into the air. It felt like I was still on terra firma, but I could feel a breeze caress the bottom part of my legs. I almost whooped for joy, but grabbed hold of my calm to finish Clark's assignment. I pictured myself hovering just above his eye line.

A whoop of joy broke my concentration and I could feel gravity reassert its authority. But strong arms grabbed hold of me and whirled me around. I opened my eyes to see an exultant Clark. "Chloe, you totally did it! And you hovered just where I asked you too!"

I laughed and kicked my legs lightly in delight. We were still whirling and it was quite the celebration. I grimaced when we stopped for a moment. "I dropped as soon as I stopped thinking about it, though," I confessed warily. I didn't want to ruin the mood, but this was another "Honesty Moment" between us.

"The important thing is that you did it on purpose, Chlo!" Clark didn't seem willing to let a few drawbacks hinder his celebration. "With more practice…"

I smiled down at him. "Well, I'm not going to get more practice with you holding me, am I?" He blushed and angled my feet to the ground almost immediately. I slowly slid along him until my feet were touching the ground. It was so surprising and our eyes never once broke contact. He was looking at me strangely and suddenly I didn't know what to do. "Clark?" I choked. Suddenly I couldn't make another sound.

"Chloe…" he whispered as his head bent closer to mine. I closed my eyes just before his lips touched mine. Suddenly, I felt like my entire body was on fire. It felt almost too good to be true, but my arms crept up around his neck… almost of their own volition. We could have been standing there for hours or seconds… time made no difference… when suddenly, a voice that I was subconsciously dreading intruded upon this perfect moment.

"Clark!" Lana screeched.

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A/N: **Such a lovely day… at least here in Washington. The sun is so bizarrely hot right now that it's sucking all the energy out of me. That is the only excuse I can offer for not posting this sooner. (Oh, and for those that would like to know… I have started a new fic. I'm hoping you'll like it. I'm departing from my norm and writing from Clark's point of view instead of Chloe's. It's strange and exciting… and I can't wait to hear what you think!) _

_Smile #4 – "I know you want me…" (I think this may be the last Smile numbering reference…)_

_iluvsmallville1: So, did you check out the video? What did you think? I have plans… BIG PLANS… for future ones. But, unlike Harry Potter, Smallville has so much raw material to work with that it's hard to narrow down the scope. (And I'm glad you liked my private image of her night clothes. If anyone else wants to know, let me know and I'll tell you what I told ILS1. ;D)_

_MacGateFan: Thank you for your enthusiasm! I hope it never fades!_

_BabyC2003: I honestly believe the reason they don't put more humor into Clark on the show is because they're going for a teenage angsty feel… which tends to irritate me more than anything. I've been looking at the scripts for the last five seasons and some of the stuff they've written has really gotten under my skin. Grrr… But that's neither here nor there, is it?_

_markmark261: Here's a longer one for you… I'm sure it's rife with mistakes you can rub my nose in! ;D I couldn't help myself with the shirts though… I mean, all that flannel shouldn't be dedicated solely for the day… I mean… What? Where? Who?_

_spaceboi's pixie: I'm telling you… those flannel shirts inhabit some of my deepest fantasies… Shoot! I didn't mean to say that aloud… Oh, well. And I'm glad you get my sense of humor. Sometimes I feel like it's too… odd. And of course Clark is helping Chloe… Did you really expect him not to? ;D_

_Cherri202: Give my love to everyone! ;D_


	17. Chapter 16

_**A/N:** I'm back! With a sunburn and all that, but it's all about you guys! Enjoy!_

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Chapter 16

We jerked apart as if we had been doing something terrible. I whipped around to stare at Lana. She sat upon her horse and looked unfairly radiant… even with tears streaming down her face and a bandage across her nose with the appropriate bruising. She ignored me completely and turned those limpid pools of chocolate directly on Clark. "How could you?" she wailed and turned her horse about to gallop off.

Shame burned curiously in my chest, but I wasn't taking that too seriously. Sometimes habits are hard to break. I turned around and looked at Clark. He looked crushed and that familiar guilty look filled his eyes. Now the shame turned to a burning fury. "You have to be kidding me…" I shrieked, my heart breaking once again into a million pieces. "You have to be _freaking_ kidding me!" I stumbled back from him in horror.

He looked at me with those eyes and the guilt seemed to somehow deepen. "Chloe, I…"

He looked like he was going to try and calm me down or something, but there was no way I was in the mood for him to touch me. I felt like I was going to explode. After all that we'd gone through with the secrets and what he'd said about Lana the other day, not to mention our date and that night, I couldn't believe that he could even harbor those feelings. I wanted to cry but the anger wasn't letting that happen. He kept coming closer and I couldn't hold back any more. "Don't touch me!" I screamed and held my hands out in front of me.

Suddenly, fire engulfed my hands and roared forward like some sort of weird fire ball straight at Clark. I gasped in horror as he was knocked off his feet and flew 100 yards into the distance. Almost as soon as it happened, all the fiery rage drained straight out of me. All I could think was that I was a total menace to everyone around me. Now the only thing I wanted to do was get out of there as fast as I could. I rose up into the air to put myself somewhere Clark couldn't get to. "I'm sorry," I whispered and then moved off toward my house. I kept rising into the air until I was fairly certain no one would be able to identify that it was a person where a person wouldn't normally be expected.

As I slowly traveled home, the slight feelings of guilt that had started when Lana had appeared was now a roaring pit of shame. I wasn't worried about Clark being hurt, but what if it hadn't been Clark? What if I'd let loose like that at Lana? She would have burnt to a crisp! How could anyone possibly think I could defeat any great evil when I couldn't even control myself or these darn powers?

As I flew on, even the experience of effortlessly floating through the air didn't relieve any of the blame and anger I piled on myself. My mind continued to go round and round in ever-negative circles and I wondered how I was ever going to live with myself. When I glanced at the ground, I realized how high I was and it felt like a solution was before me. "_You don't deserve to be here. You should just let yourself drop and then everyone's troubles would just melt away…_"

I was absolutely shocked at the idea, so much so that I started to drop out of the sky like a rock. With every ounce of willpower, I pulled my attention from the terrifying descent to focus on floating back up into the sky. It took a few terrifying seconds, but suddenly I stopped as if I'd actually hit the ground. I hung there for a moment, gasping for breath with my eyes tightly shut. I had no idea why that thought had crossed my mind. Like any normal teenager, I had my bouts of depression, but I'd never even considered suicide before… which this would have been.

When I got my breath back, I looked straight forward and kept my destination fully in mind. As it turned out, it was good that I was concentrating with all my might on that because the voice came back. "_Chloe, you know very well that you don't deserve these powers. All you've done with them is abuse them in one way or another. Do you really think some higher power would give you a 'gift' like this?_" I tried with all my might to ignore it, but it was strangely compelling. "_All you've really used it for is for cosmetic enhancements anyway…_" I could feel myself weakening toward it and tried to put more speed on to my floating meandering, aiming for a patch of woods outside of my neighborhood. _Why are there so many trees in Kansas?_ I thought for a moment and realized that the thought sounded somehow different than the other ones. I couldn't understand what was going on.

"_Of course you don't understand. You pretend that you're soooo clever, but you always have to be rescued from messes of your own making. You hardly have the skills to use your computer properly._" I gasped at the hurtful things that kept insinuating into my mind. I couldn't understand it. While I did have certain self-doubts, I'd never torn myself down so brutally before.

It wasn't until I was safe on the ground that a theory came to mind. I knew that there was a force out there that wanted me defeated so it could run roughshod over the world. Wasn't it possible that it could have similar powers to me and maybe it was trying to subvert me somehow? "_You never do want to take responsibility for your own actions, do you, Chloe?_" The sneering quality made me quail inside. "_Why does this have to be someone trying to hurt you rather than your subconscious telling you some hard truths? You're a coward… Just like your mother!_"

I gasped with each new venomous thought. Could my subconscious really be trying to make me see the light? Wasn't it possible? I trudged through the woods until I came to the road and started walking to my house. The negative diatribe continued with each step and I slowed down further and further. Tears started running down my face. Everything felt so hard and hopeless. How could I possibly be expected to save the world when I was so flawed?

When I turned the corner and saw Clark sitting on my front porch, I nearly turned and ran back the way I'd come. I didn't want to face him… not now, not ever. "_You might as well go and talk to him and get it over with. He'll be breaking off all contact with you and soon you'll be all alone. After all, you've already lost your other best friend, Lana, today._"

Obediently, I trudged on, but my brow wrinkled in thought. I hadn't thought of Lana as my best friend since shortly after this had all began and she'd thought such thoughts about me. And how did I really know that Clark was going to abandon me just because I'd lost control for a moment? Something really odd was going on… but I didn't seem to have the time to figure it out.

"Chloe," Clark started, standing as soon as he saw me.

I could hardly look at him. All I really knew was that if he'd been a normal human, I would have killed him today. Considering how little I actually knew about him, maybe I could have killed him anyway. "Clark, I'm so sorry," I whispered, stopping at the bottom of the porch steps.

"Chloe…" he began, but I couldn't bear to let him continue before I'd said my piece.

"Clark, I was just so mad that you'd felt guilty about being with me when you'd said that your feelings for Lana had changed. I'm sure it was just a momentary lapse and that you'll be back on the Lana bandwagon as soon as we're done here. I'm sorry for losing control." I would have continued, but the tears clogged my throat and I could barely breathe, let alone speak.

"Are you done?" he asked wryly. That snapped me out of my pity party and my head snapped up to look at him in shock. "Because I'm not sure how much more I can stand listening to you before I shake some sense into you."

I smiled a little, but it probably came off a little pained. "Clark, you have every right to want to break off contact. After all, I'm a danger to everyone right now."

"You're more a danger to yourself than anyone else," he said softly and took my hand. He drew me to the porch swing that Dad and I had never used but that had come with the house. "What if you hadn't expelled that fire and it had burned you? At least I'm fire proof."

I looked him over closely. He didn't even smell of smoke and there weren't any smudges of soot on him. "Did you change before you came over?" I asked inanely. It seemed to be the only question I could get out at the moment.

Clark laughed. "Turns out that it was a good thing you left when you did, Chlo. Your fireball didn't leave me much in the way of clothes left."

I blushed to the roots of my hair. Deep inside of me, I wished that I'd managed to control my mortification to see Clark in his entire glory emerging from the flames, but another part said that, if we were to have any sort of relationship, now wasn't the time for that sort of thing. "Sorry, Clark."

He laughed even harder. "In some ways, it was nice. You wouldn't believe the trouble I go through trying to salvage clothes that aren't going to be salvageable. This time I won't have to justify buying new clothes."

"Ah, Clark. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cost you money…" Now I wasn't only mortified for what I'd done to Clark, but now I realized that I'd hurt the Kents as well.

He took my shoulders and shook me a little. "Chloe, snap out of it. Did we not just discuss this morning that it takes practice to control a new power? Did you know that you could throw fire out from your hands?" I shook my head mutely. I was only able to look at him in wonder. What had made him become so forceful, opinionated, and sensitive? Was this what our relationship had been missing? The secrets had kept this from us? But he wasn't musing over those types of things and I had to pay attention. "So, we'll just practice that later. It'll be a good defensive weapon if you can modify the intensity and definitely works for offense."

I could only look at him for a moment. Then I smiled, the doubts easing from my mind. "Thanks, Clark. I thought you were going to tell me off, but I should have known better." I frowned and would have said more, but he cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Chloe, we need to talk…" Rarely before had I heard anything that made me more nervous and anxious than those four words. We'd gotten over the fireball thing… why did he have to bring _her_ up. Couldn't we just let it go? I dropped my eyes down to the ground and focused on Clark's shoes. I couldn't deal with this right now. Couldn't he see that? "Chloe?"

"We don't have to, you know…" I still refused to look at him. If he was going to start going off on how great Lana was again, I was going to lose it. I already felt like I was going to throw up my liver, so why did I need to talk to him about it? "You know, on the way back, it was really odd…"

Clark wasn't having any of that, which surprised me. It hadn't been that long ago that he'd grasp an excuse to abandon an uncomfortable conversation… no matter how flimsy. "Chloe, we can talk about that in a minute. We have to talk about what happened."

I lifted my head and stared at the siding right beside his head. I pasted on Smile #12 in desperation. "But we did Clark," I said brightly, which sounded slightly shrill, even to myself. I suppressed a shudder of derision because he would notice that in an instant.

"We haven't talked about Lana," he said softly. I could feel his gaze on my face, but I couldn't… I just couldn't bear it.

I advanced my smile to #22. "What's there to talk about? You still like her. It's totally understandable. You've loved her since you were in diapers." I stood up. "You know, I should probably get inside. Dad'll be wondering what's keeping me."

I would have moved, but Clark hadn't ever let go of my hand and showed no signs of allowing me to leave. "I don't, you know."

It was said so softly that I wasn't absolutely certain I'd heard it. "Don't what, Clark?" I said and inadvertently looked straight into his eyes. Those green pools captured me as sure as if someone had held a gun to Dad's head. I felt like they could look straight into my soul and it was so bruised and torn right now that I had to suppress an urge to gasp and make a move to protect myself… hide somehow from my best friend who had inexplicably turned wise overnight.

He took a deep breath. "I don't still love Lana."

My jaw dropped open and I wasn't sure how long my knees were going to hold me up. "But you… When she found us…"

He grimaced. "Do you really think that's how I wanted her to find out about us? She's our friend, Chloe."

I could feel the tears streaming down my face, but I didn't even have the energy to dash them away. "She may be your friend, but I don't think she's ever been mine. After all, you guys didn't seem to mind me walking in on you last year."

He looked as if I'd just hit him in the stomach, but this was too important to pull any punches. "We didn't mean to…"

"Exactly, Clark. And neither did we." I tugged at my hand but that just turned into an exercise in futility. "I don't know what the difference is."

"The difference is that we both had that prior experience to draw from. Would you have wanted Pete to find us like that?" He was still staring at me and I felt trapped.

"Not really, but that's different."

"How?" I gaped at him for a minute and I saw his eyebrow rise. I felt trapped. "Really, Chloe, how was it different? Pete's had a crush on you forever, but has submerged all of that in your friendship. Lana and I tried the relationship thing, but we were both pulling away into the safe realm of friends. So how is it different?" I opened and closed my mouth a number of times, but absolutely nothing would come out. His lips twisted and he nodded. "Exactly. If you hadn't called me this morning, I had been thinking about going to the Talon and telling her the good news. But sometimes things don't go the way you plan."

All of the tension left my body in a huge rush and if Clark hadn't pulled me back down to the swing, I may have just collapsed to the ground. It almost seemed too good to be true. "Truly?" When he nodded, the tears came again. But this time, Clark gently brushed them away.

He smiled at me gently. "So, would that have been a good thing or a bad one?"

"It's good. Good…" I took a deep breath. I really needed to get a hold of myself. My cup seemed filled to overflowing right now and I couldn't help but wait for the next shoe to drop, but that was too negative. I had to be honest. "It just feels… Now that you've said that, I'm almost waiting for you to run off."

He laughed wryly. "Don't worry," he said and he put his arm around my shoulder, drawing me close. "I'm not going anywhere this time."

It was such a pleasant feeling to be held by him that I could have shivered in ecstasy. "Oh Clark, I'm so…" Before I could finish saying anything, everything went black. I was nebulously glad that I had been sitting down because otherwise I would have been bruised from head to toe.

_I was back in that shadowy blank area that I'd just visited the night before. But right out of the corner of my eye, I could see a black cloud radiating menace. I wanted to shrink from it, but there was nowhere to go. It felt like it was growing… starting to surround me… suffocating me… until I saw a pinpoint of light gathering me. The dark flinched from it and finally retreated entirely._

"_Chloe," the voice from the previous night said to me, "you have to go to Coast City."_

"_What was that?" I gasped. I now felt warm and secure, but it didn't totally dissipate my terror._

"_What are you talking about?" he asked. I thought he sounded a little testy about the interruption. He probably wasn't used to having questions thrown at him instead of unquestioning acquiescence. "There's nothing here. It's something we have created to make you feel more comfortable."_

"_There was a dark cloud here." Even in my dream, I was shivering. "It… I don't know what it wanted, but it was almost like it wanted to hurt me."_

"_A dark cloud? That's impossible!"_

_That comment set me off rather nicely. "Yes, it's impossible… in a dream landscape that you somehow forced me into while I was having an important conversation with Clark. I know what I saw. Fine. Whatever! You want me to go to Coast City? Can I bring Clark?"_

"_He has already been factored into our calculations and authorization has been given for him to be integrated into the network."_

"_Network? What network? Can you tell me where to go?" Did they just expect me to know these things?_

"_The address has already been sent to your phone. You must hurry, Chloe. The world depends on you."_

"_How am I supposed to do that?" I asked angrily. "I've had my powers all of, what? Three days? How can I possibly be expected to win here?"_

"_You have shown more progress than any girl before you. Perhaps it is your willingness to believe in the supernatural. Perhaps it is something internal to you. But you can do this, Chloe. You can be the Champion of Good." I could just feel the naïve belief radiating from the PTB._

_I could have screamed. Didn't they realize that Good doesn't always triumph over Evil? That human beings, by their very natures, have a bit of each in them? But it was a fight worth dying for and I was already committed on a number of different counts. As I was hurtled back, I couldn't help but sigh. Were the Forces of Good always so single-minded that they couldn't see that things could go horribly wrong with their system? Maybe I'll have to instruct them when I have the time…_

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A/N:** Oy! Can I just say that you really have to be careful with the whole sunscreen thing… especially when you float down a river during a beautiful summer day? My shoulders are absolutely killing me… AND I have to be at work today! Where's the fairness in that? _

I received a warning from a reviewer that my Author's Notes might be getting a little long which might cause my stories to be removed. It's not that I disbelieve this person, but, PTB, please let me know if this is true. I don't want to break the rules, but I do like giving personal shout outs to those kind enough to review. Thanks!

#12 – Totally insincere, but trying to pass as genuine

#22 – Sick but I can't allow for weakness

_iluvsmallville1: Oh my goodness! What were you doing? Waiting at your computer for me to update? (Just kidding, of course… But yours was absolutely the first review I got and received five minutes after I posted my update…) Lana… Well, what does Lana usually do when she sees or hears something that she doesn't like? (And can you tell that I totally adore "Weird Al"?)_

_BabyC2003: Well, as I've said, I have some serious issues with the Lana character. And I've been reading transcripts of the show (for another project) and those issues are getting better. But you know, even now that she is together with someone else (and I don't want to say who and spoil it for anyone), she would have the same reaction. I let it color my writing occasionally, but I try and get control of it. No need to let it get out of hand… ;D_

_reborn: Welcome! I'm glad you liked it!_

_CSLUVSCK: But of course, you're welcome! ;D Life just went off the deep end yesterday, but my goal is to keep up the regular posting… but I also seem to say that all the time!_

_Cherri202: It's nearly done… Can you believe it?_

_markmark261: Lana just makes a quick appearance here. And you're right about the shirt. It's probably the only one he's ever owned that lasted more than a couple weeks at most. They need to look at some flame-retardant stuff for him! ;D_


	18. Chapter 17

_**A/N:** And on and on…_

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Chapter 17

"Chloe? Chloe!" I could feel myself being not so gently shaken and wanted to protest. But I had never been an easy riser before and being summarily knocked unconscious to get some bogus instructions was really getting under my skin. Considering the last couple of days, maybe I should have wondered more at this, but Clark was starting to panic, so I decided to deal with him first.

"I'm fine, Clark," I croaked and winced at the inelegant sound. I cleared my throat and opened my eyes. Poor Clark. He looked so pale and distraught that I just wanted to cuddle with him instead of revealing my first mission. "Sorry, Clark. I was just getting some instructions…"

"What do you mean instructions? Chloe, you were unconscious!" Now that I was awake, some color was returning to his cheeks, but his eyes definitely still looked worried.

I sat up straighter and looked him square in the eye. "Apparently the PTB feel that the only way they can talk to me is if I'm unconscious."

He laughed… just like I'd meant him to. "Are you serious?" I shrugged and that set him off again. While it was true that I supposedly didn't have a lot of time, showing Clark the ridiculousness of the situation was necessary. It helped that he sobered pretty quickly. "So what did they want?"

"My first assignment is here," I said softly. I thought about it and tried not to shudder. Then I wondered if I should really take Clark. There was no telling what was going to happen out there and risking one hair on Clark's hair seemed like too much of a risk. "I'll talk to you later."

I actually made it to a standing position before Clark grabbed my hand. "What do you mean you'll talk to me later? I'm going with you." I could hear the determination in his voice and sighed.

Knowing my vulnerability to all things Clark, I didn't turn to look at him. "Clark, it's too dangerous. We don't know what's going to be there…"

"So maybe you shouldn't go either…"

I smiled. Now he was just whistling in the wind… "I have to believe that the PTB wouldn't send me out on something that I have no chance of succeeding at. But you…"

"…Are indestructible. Chloe…"

I could feel the tears coming, but I didn't want Clark to see. I could bring him along, but if he got hurt, I'd never forgive myself. "Not quite," I said softly as soon as I was sure my voice wouldn't give away the tears.

"Look at me," he commanded. I shook my head in refusal and I heard him leave the swing. I wanted to look anywhere but _at_ him, but Clark was having none of that. He lifted my chin so I had to look at him. "Chloe, there is absolutely no guarantee in this life. I could die, sure… but so could you. You need help now that your sisters aren't around." His face was stern but then he broke into a smile. "And if you think you can leave me behind, you've forgotten about my speed. I could follow you anywhere, so just forget about leaving me behind."

I had to smile. I wanted to pretend I was shocked somehow, but I knew there was no way Clark was going to be left out of the fight. "OK, but we're going to do this smart." I had no desire to become a lab rat or an insta-celebrity if my powers got caught on camera. "We have to change… some sort of disguise so that we won't be recognized. Then you can run us to Coast City and the address the PTB says is on my phone. And if you can think of anything else we might need…" I knew that as soon as I changed, I was going to be plundering my fully stocked car trunk. While super-powers were all swell, well and good, doing things the old-fashioned way wasn't a bad thing.

"Five minutes?" He looked ready to tackle the world and I took heart from his confidence. I nodded and he was off in a flash. I headed into my house and sighed. This day had held such promise in the beginning…

"Chloe, you're home early," Dad yelled from the front room. College football was still playing on the television and I wondered if he had even moved. Then I noticed the junk food wrappers littering the floor. He was totally engrossed in the game which would be perfect for me to jet out again.

"Not really, Dad. I just flew home to change. I accidentally fell on my keister and I want to clean up before dinner at the Kents'." I really had to swallow hard on the laughter my pun inspired. Dad wouldn't know what it mean, but I _was_ telling him the absolute truth.

"OK, honey," he said absently just before he shouted in anger at the screen at the umpires.

Sometimes, I was willing to push my luck a lot of times, but this wasn't one of them. Plus, Clark would be back any minute to pick me up for Coast City. I rushed up the stairs wondering what Clark was telling his parents. Without revealing my secret, he had no real reason to give them for jetting off for Coast City.

Ripping through my wardrobe, I was glad for my momentary Goth period with that stupid parasite. I actually had a black leather outfit that would help protect me and a black backpack to hold all my tools. I did a quick Mapquest search for the specific address the PTB gave me and printed it out. Clark may be fast, but that would be totally worthless if we got lost. I grabbed a stocking cap and a basic Halloween mask that just covered the top part of my face and then bounded down the stairs again. I wondered if I'd look too odd, but shrugged my shoulder. Wasn't it better to be thought odd than to be outed?

I was almost out the door when I looked back at Dad. My heart chilled in my chest when I thought that this might actually be the last time I saw him. I raced over to the couch and embraced him from the back. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, honey," he smiled a bit absentmindedly. "Have a good time."

I kissed him on the top of the head and rolled my eyes. I knew my dad loved me, but it was hard to compete with his passion. "I will, Dad. See you later."

Clark was waiting for me as I shut the door. Quickly, I ransacked my trunk for some useful things, but it was hard going into the unknown. _The least they could have done was give me a quick update on what I should definitely have!_ I thought a bit angrily. I held my fingers to my lips and led him to the woods down the street. It took some time, but we really needed to be circumspect. As soon as we got there, I looked him over in satisfaction. He had on his Kal outfit. I knew that I had never mentioned to him before how absolutely hot he looks in it, but decided that now wasn't the time for that either. I handed him the directions. "This is where we're going?" he asked. I thought it was cute that he was so nervous that he was just restating the obvious.

"That's the address text messaged on my phone." I looked at him and realized we had to figure out one key thing. "How are we going to do this?"

He just smiled and swung me up in his arms. How cool was that? It was the perfect solution for the pressures I was sure to encounter and was one of the most romantic things he'd done in the last 24 hours. I barely had a chance to get settled before he was off. We didn't talk on our way there… We were both too nervous for words. Anything that could only be handled by a nearly indestructible Kryptonian and a goddess had to be bad… Really bad.

It didn't take half as long as I'd thought for Clark to skid to a halt in front of the building we wanted. He set me on my feet, but we held hands as we walked to the door. I knocked softly, almost hoping that whoever was supposed to be there had stepped away for a quick smoke or something. Unfortunately, a wizened old man opened the door and looked at me with the most amazingly piercing eyes. "Mistress, welcome to our humble abode. Please enter." He stepped aside and bowed us inside. His deference was almost more unnerving than the whole situation.

He silently led us through a very austere room. His silence influenced both of us so we followed him mutely, although we did exchange worried glances. Really, anyone could have sent me that text message. Why had I believed it so implicitly? I was a little worried that we had fallen into a trap, but had to have some sort of faith in the PTB… or else I really wouldn't know who to trust. We didn't have to wait too long before the little man pressed a series of hidden panels and a door slid open. He bowed us inside and the door shut quickly behind us. If it hadn't been a bustling hive of activity and Clark hadn't been right beside me, I would have been totally freaking out.

A middle aged man who really epitomized nondescript walked up to us. "Mistress, welcome to the Coast City operation. We are extremely relieved that you arrived in good time."

Everything seemed genuine, but I was still pretty irritated… and scared. It had to have an outlet and I started in on this person. "In good time for what? I know that I have a mission, but why can't anyone tell me EXACTLY what's going on?" My voice was starting to get shrill, but I couldn't seem to help it. Clark wrapped his arm around my shoulder and I could feel myself relaxing a bit.

"What's the situation… ummm, what's your name?" Clark's manners always surfaced before my own. I was a little embarrassed that I didn't think to ask before I started to lay into him and I could feel a blush race across my cheeks.

"You may call me Thomas," he said with a bow. The way he said it, however, made me wonder if that was his real name. But I didn't have the time to worry about that. "The situation, as you say, is that there is a bomb… possibly nuclear… in the city in the hands of a suicidal maniac."

I gasped and pressed further into Clark. "A nuclear… Why aren't the police involved?"

"They are, Mistress. However, our sources have stated that they will not get to them in time. And apparently the bomb is strong enough to totally eradicate Kansas and irradiate all of the North American continent. That doesn't include what the wind will push across the globe." He looked at me and in his eyes I could see the deaths of millions upon millions of people and I shuddered.

I straightened suddenly, absolutely determined that this wouldn't happen. "All right, Thomas. What do we know about this man? Do we know the address of where this will take place? Do we know the make and model of the bomb so we can look up defusing strategies?"

He looked at me sadly and I knew that this wasn't a good sign. "Unfortunately, all we know is his name. Hamilton Jeffries."

"And that's it?" Clark demanded.

Thomas just nodded solemnly, but then he stopped. "We do know one more piece of information. This will occur before the next sunrise."

I looked at Clark and we knew this was even worse than we'd thought. "Okay, Clark. I guess this is the reason that we've been so involved in the newspaper. It's time to kick it into high research mode. Thomas, we need at least two computers and I'm going to want some coffee. I may not need it, but it might help me think…"

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A/N: Not much to say. Mondays may turn into my update days if my Fridays don't clear out. 'Cause this week I got a funeral! Oy! **_

_carcassi: I do as well. I don't know if you've noticed, but my last TWO fics have had that type of thing going down. Hmmm… And I really appreciate the encouragement. I have to admit, without all of you rooting me on, I may have let the whole fan fic thing slide… ;D_

_markmark261: Hey, cutie! Have I mentioned lately that I really appreciate your feedback and proofreading? I always feel like my stuff is just that much tighter after I get your response. On the Lana front… You know, I have a hard time writing that girl without bashing. (I've been in a snit this last season.) But I don't want to totally hammer on her and alienate those Lana-lovers out there. I will admit that my next fic is even lighter in the Lana version… but more bashy! ;D (Yeah… that spelling thing with exercise… I have the hardest time spelling that word! I have no idea why!)_

_Cherri202: I am doing another story… and it's very Alternate Universe-y. It's called "Clarkie's Choice"… which I thought was just super funny… because I'd just watched "Krypto" again! ;D_

_BabyC2003: I don't blame her either, but I think I'm going to drop it out of my writing soon. I mean, I can only harp on that too many times before I make Chloe a whiny baby! (I'm not looking forward to the Jimmy element… purely because they're setting him up as a Chloe love-interest and I had hopes for more Chlark moments… and because he's being introduced way too early and way too old for my tastes. I'm not a purist, but the continuum, people!)_

_iluvsmallville1: I've been meaning to check out your stuff, but I'm not a HUGE "Phil of the Future" fan (just figured out that that's what POTF means…) so I haven't checked that one out. Maybe I should expand my horizons! ;D (And I don't flame. Usually I just point out grammatical errors… ;D)_


	19. Chapter 18

_**A/N:** Wow. I can't believe it's almost over… Totally ripe for a sequel, however…_

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Chapter 18

Let's be honest. My life has been fraught with deadlines and emergencies, but the pressure I felt with this one… Well, let's just say that I was not at my best. My fingers tripped on the keys even making a simple Google search. But I should have known that I could rely on Clark to take up the slack. His fingers seemed to blur over the keyboard while I was having a problem just calmly sipping my coffee. All I could feel were the minutes ticking down. I didn't know if it would be at dawn exactly and I don't think anyone else did either. And how were _we_ supposed to deal with a nuclear bomb?

Questions raced around my head while I sat in a near catatonic state and Clark hardly seemed to notice. For once, he was in full research mode… and it made me feel… unnecessary. I realized that this may have been what he had felt in the past while I worked my magic. I felt useless… unnecessary… A black depression hit me suddenly and I had to fight not to gasp.

"_Clark could take care of this without you, you know._" Tears sprung to my eyes and I bowed my head so Clark wouldn't notice. "_Why do you think you're going to make any difference?_" I felt like my heart was going to seize up in my chest. Where was my chutzpah?

"Chloe?" Clark's voice sounded as if it was coming from a mile away. I didn't have the strength to even lift my head… or respond. I could feel him hovering over me and he gently lifted my chin. We stared at each other for a few minutes before he said anything. "Chloe, what's wrong?"

I was too ashamed to admit my fears to him. How could I admit to what a coward I was becoming? "Nothing," I murmured, looking anywhere but at him.

He wouldn't let me avoid the issue, however. His face took on a stern look that could have been copied straight out of the Jonathan Kent playbook. I would have laughed if I'd had that kind of strength in me. "Chloe Sullivan, you're not going to get out of this so easily. Tell me right now what's wrong with you."

I shrugged, but decided that avoiding the issue wasn't what Clark deserved. "Why am I here, Clark? You could handle this entire situation on your own? Why am I necessary?"

His hand dropped in shock and I knew that he was horribly disappointed in me. I wanted to melt into the floor in shame. "_You see! How could you have ever imagined that you were equal to him?_" The voice was terribly logical and unrelenting. I wanted to scream at myself, but that would have just led to too many questions about my sanity. I dropped my eyes to the floor again.

Clark crouched down in front of me and held my hand. I couldn't even look at him… The anxiety was crushing me completely. "Chloe, look at me." I didn't move. How could I look at him? "Look at me!" he commanded. I was so shocked by that I did just as he asked. He had a small smile on his face… which seemed so out of place that I frowned. What was he smiling about? Hadn't I just told him that I was a total quivering lump that he shouldn't even bother to be with? "Chloe, you are the most courageous woman I've ever met. Why would you ever think I could do this without you?"

"B…b…but you were doing all the research. I was just sitting there…"

He laughed. "Exactly. How do you think I learned it all? I've been watching you do the same thing and picked up some stuff. I figured you were just preparing for whatever's coming."

"But I'm not contributing to the effort…"

He frowned and his look stopped me short. "Chloe, why would you ever think such things? This isn't like you!"

He was right, of course, which I always hated to admit. Normally, I would continue on my merry way in the course that I'd decided was right. And if Clark was with me, I'd always felt a sense of infallibility and indestructibility. What was different about this situation? Was it because I was personally given this assignment? That didn't seem right. Was it because I was responsible for the fate of the entire world? Nope, that wasn't it either. If I hadn't been pondering the issue, I might have missed the importance of what came next.

"_You think you're so important… but you're not. In fact, you're going to get everyone killed… especially Clark!_"

I gasped and leaned back in my chair. It felt like I'd just been struck. Clark would have said something, but I waved him off. This wasn't right. This wasn't the first time today something had made me start seriouslydoubting myself. Right about then, it felt like a lightbulb went off in my head and I wanted to groan for my stupidity. But how could I explain it to Clark? I had to test my theory before I confessed what was going on. _Who are you?_ I thought as loud as I could, throwing it out there for anyone that could hear it.

A sinister laugh echoed through my skull. "_So, you finally understand, hmmm? Pity. I almost had you a couple of times. But I suppose this makes it all more of a challenge._"

My inner light bulb flashed again. _You're my counterpart, aren't you? You're trying to destroy the world…_

"_You're arguing semantics. Your definition of how the world should be differs from mine._"

_How is setting off a nuclear bomb going to make a better world in your view?_ I demanded, utterly boggled by the mind set. But I wasn't to be rewarded with a reply. I waited intensely for a few minutes before I gave up.

Clark was looking at me with worry and, surprisingly, a bit of fear in his eyes. I looked up at him and smiled, but I'm not sure that helped him. I shrugged. It couldn't be a long conversation, but he had to know that our competition had just made an appearance. "I'm alright, Clark. Seems the other side was trying a sneak attack."

He looked at me, baffled. "But why didn't they try anything with me?"

"Clark, remember that my powers don't seem to be able to touch you unless I use a tremendous amount of effort? We have to assume that the other side would have to expend the same and they're kinda' busy right now."

He nodded. I'm not sure if he truly understood, but apparently it was enough for him right then. "I found him."

It took me a minute to realize what the heck he was talking about. Then the light flashed again. "Where?" It took me half a heartbeat to be all business again. We had a job to do here, and worrying about an unknown enemy was not top priority.

"10482 - 15th Street." He looked proud of his achievement and I was impressed. Thank goodness he was there. Fighting my unseen adversary would have taken too much time. I glanced at the clock and realized that it was already after midnight.

"We'd better get going," I said, standing. Clark was right at my side and we looked at Thomas. "Thanks for your help." He just nodded silently and we raced out of the room.

My heart was pounding a mile a minute. Was this all it was going to take? Could it possibly be this easy? As soon as we made it out the front door, Clark swept me up in his arms and we were off again. I didn't even have time to enjoy it before we were in front of this extremely run down house. He set me on my feet and I looked at him nervously.

"Think anyone's home?" he quipped.

The house had an air of utter desertion about it and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that the search was still on. I would have suggested picking the lock, but Clark smashed it down without a thought. I whacked his arm. "Clark!" I whispered harshly. "Did you think he might have been expecting someone to break into his house? Maybe there was an alarm set up or something? What about a booby trap?"

Clark looked a little chagrined, but he just shrugged carefully. "Ah, come on, Chloe. What could possibly hurt me?"

I opened my mouth and shut it a couple of times. For someone so careful of others in dangerous situations, he was so careless with himself. But I couldn't just let it go… Could I? "Clark," I gritted as calmly as I could, "what about kryptonite?"

Another of those careless shrugs met my worry. "How would he know about that?"

I could have screamed at him. All the times that he's revealed his powers to the bad guys and he wondered how some madman would know? Some madman that could find out and gather all the things to make a nuclear bomb? Finally, I just sighed. There were some things you could talk to Clark about calmly and rationally, but apparently this wasn't one of them. We walked into the house quietly and I kept myself on the alert for any signs of alarms or danger.

The house did not reflect the outside… and I was surprised. It didn't have any of the stereotypical signs of mental illness. In fact, the house was extremely neat. We walked down the main hall and discovered a well-stocked library to the right and a small but gourmet looking kitchen to the left. There was a laboratory that took up most of the back of the house, but I didn't see anything that screamed "I'm a nuclear scientist!" Rather than reassure me, this was making me incredibly uneasy.

"Clark…" I whispered and put my hand on his arm. He just looked at me and nodded and I was grateful that this time he seemed to understand my non-verbal clue. He grabbed my hand and we crept up the stairs. There were two bedrooms, very elegantly furnished. I shook my head. What was this guy doing in this neighborhood? If his neighbors knew he had this kind of stuff, he would have been killed so all of his stuff could be sold. The one thing we didn't find was Mr. Jeffries… or any sign that anyone knew or cared that we were in his house.

"Where do you think he is?" Clark asked in his normal voice.

I nearly jumped out of my skin and actually shrieked to my everlasting shame. "Clark! Would you stop doing that to me?"

"Sorry, Chlo," he chuckled.

I could only roll my eyes at this point. Clark was enjoying startling me and nothing I said was going to make him stop at this point. Maybe it was his way of dealing with the situation… while mine seemed to be an increase in tension and sensitivity. But we didn't have time for this. "We've got to find out where he went."

Clark looked slowly around the master bedroom and his eyes fell upon a smiling man with a beautiful wife and two laughing children. "I don't think…"

I'd noticed the same picture and nodded. "I know. It doesn't seem like he'd be the type of man to threaten all of the northern hemisphere with a nuclear bomb, but he's our one and only lead. And Thomas said those psychics or whatever…"

"Do you really believe in psychic powers?" Clark asked me incredulously.

I had to laugh. "You're actually asking that of the girl that can read minds?" He blushed and shrugged and I had to hold myself back from hugging him tightly for that glimpse of his inner innocence. We'd have time for that later. "It doesn't matter anyway. He's our one and only lead and we need to find him… at least so we can find out what he knows and why he's slumming it."

Clark nodded and we carefully looked through each and every drawer in the bedrooms before we moved downstairs. I could tell by his intense gaze that he was using his X-ray vision to scan for any hidden compartments. I hit the kitchen while Clark used his super-speed in the library. It was logical that any damning evidence would be in the laboratory, but we were trying to be methodical. I could feel the minutes ticking by and I wondered if we would actually have time to save the world. I finished looking at any and all papers in the kitchen and met Clark in the hallway.

The laboratory was the thing of geek and nerd wet dreams. It had every possible techno gadget and I even found myself drooling a little. I almost laughed at my covetous soul, but decided it might come out a little hysterically. I grabbed the desk while Clark zipped about the room. I was glad that he had enough control over his power that he didn't create a wind vortex that would have made it impossible to actually look at any papers.

I found it in the first book I opened. It was his appointment book, which was logical, but the evidence didn't look like it really belonged in there. It was a red piece of paper shaped in a square with an address on it. I recalled a mental map of Coast City and realized that it was a warehouse not far from where we were. "Clark, I found it," I said, perhaps more loudly than I should have because it echoed in the space. Before I could blink, Clark was hovering over my shoulder.

"That's great," he said enthusiastically and made to snag the paper out of my hand. "I'll just jet over there and we can be back before your dad misses you."

I looked at him in surprise… surprised enough to snatch the paper back out of his hands. "Excuse me?"

He looked at me as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, but I knew better. "Well, it just makes sense. I'm the one that's indestructible, so I'll just go and take care of the bomb and be back to bring you home before your dad wakes up."

"Clark Kent… You… I…" I was so furious that I could barely speak.

He looked at me with those eyes and I wanted to melt but I couldn't let myself. "It really would be better if you just let me handle this…"

"Shut up," I said fiercely and glared at him as hard as I could. He actually flinched, which gave me a little happy. "Farmboy, do you have experience disarming nuclear bombs?" He opened his mouth, but with another glare, he just shook his head. "What exactly were you planning on doing with it?"

"Throwing it?" he said hesitantly like I was giving him a quiz.

"Where?" He shrugged and I sighed. "Exactly. Listen, Clark… I understand that you want to protect me… I want to do the same to you. But remember. This is **_my_** trial. There has to be a reason why I need to be there. And to let you go off without me…"

"But…"

I held up my hand. "Forget it. Now get me there… Now!"

I was almost ashamed at the way I was bossing him around, but his previous attitude had me in total General Lane mode. I wondered if I shocked him one time too many today, but he just grabbed me up and we were at the warehouse before I could take another breath. If possible, the warehouse was even more decrepit than the outside of the house had been. My spidey sense was totally tingling, but we couldn't wait any longer. A quick glance at my watch only showed that we had a total of 15 minutes before the dawn was due. We didn't even have a plan yet to deal with it! I shook my head to dispel the negativity and motioned for Clark to bust down the door. At this point, we didn't have time for me to practice my lock-picking skills.

The inside of the warehouse was a surprise, but not in the same way as the house had been. It was totally and complete empty except for two things: the bomb and a body. My eyes were avoiding looking at it directly, but it was drawing me in with a sick fascination. He was lying in a pool of blood that seemed to have spread in an abnormally large pool around the body. His face was drawn into pained lines and he had a look of surprise on his face. But other than the emotion shown, there were no other signs of trauma to his face… which I thought odd. The fatal wound was a large holein the side of his head. He was barely recognizable as the man in the picture. I gasped when I saw it and Clark drew me into his embrace to try and protect me from the sight. It was kind of him, but I'd already seen too much and I knew that sight was going to haunt me for the rest of my days.

"Why did he kill himself?" Clark asked incredulously. "When the bomb went off, he would have died immediately anyways. Why shoot himself?"

"I don't know," I gulped, drawing away from him slightly. "I had been hoping we could convince him to shut it down on his own."

"Me too," he sighed. "Maybe that's why he did it, so he wouldn't be dissuaded from his purpose."

I shrugged and edged around the body to the bomb. "I'm not buying that he killed himself, but we can't debate it now." I sighed deeply. It was already active and neither of us knew how to disarm it. And still the scene was screaming at me with its wrongness. What was really going on here?

_**

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A/N:** We're getting close to the end. What do you think? Any thoughts? Questions? I was having some problems with the "Big Bad." I've decided that I'll give you a hint in the Epilogue, but it's definitely material for sequels… We're getting close to the end. What do you think? Any thoughts? Questions? I was having some problems with the "Big Bad." I've decided that I'll give you a in the Epilogue, but it's definitely material for sequels…_

_BabyC2003: I understand what you're saying, but if you'll remember, **she** was the one who pulled the "let's just be friends" crap after the Prom. That was so passive aggressive and didn't fit my image of Chloe that I could have just screamed! She should at least have railed at him and then he could have given her the 4-1-1. But you do have a point._

_CSLUVSCK, spaceboi's pixie & Cherri202: Good! Keep loving it! And me! ;D_

_iluvsmallville1: Nah. It doesn't sound unrealistic. It just makes me happy and motivated to keep writing good stuff._

_MacGateFan: Did I seriously do that? I know I'm a girl and therefore stereotypically uninterested in sports, but I KNEW that! OY! ;D_

_markmark261: Yeah, that's probably true, but I was thinking about the radioactive material that could get into the air stream (what's that called specifically again?) and contaminating and hurting the entire Northern Hemisphere. You know, I hadn't thought about the texting option… That's really a good idea. It's a good thing I didn't have her delete it, hmmm? And Kal's outfit… (laughin' my toukas off on your addendum to the question) Well, I was thinking black shirt, pants, and shoes… and MAYBE more than sunglasses… I think I was thinking ski mask._


	20. Chapter 19

_**A/N:** Closer and closer…_

**Chapter 19**

"Okay, I know what needs to be done." I nearly jumped out of my skin again at Clark's voice. But when I whirled to look at him, he wasn't smirking about startling me. He was staring at the bomb with a determined look on his face.

I wanted to deny him immediately, but I knew that he would just do what he wanted unless I at least listened to his reasoning and gave him a logical reason why he couldn't do it. I even managed to suppress the sigh I wanted to heave. "And what would that be?"

"I have to run this to a bomb shelter or into the ocean where the radiation won't hurt anyone." The confidence to accomplish this feat shone in his face. I could have groaned. Why did I have to fall for a man with a nobility complex _and_ the ability to do most heroic deeds? I knew he was invulnerable to nearly everything, but this was really pushing it too far.

But I also knew I had to tread carefully and fast. I visually examined the bomb and noticed two things. First off, we had two minutes left. Secondly, the thing didn't look that sturdy. "I don't think we have time for that," I said slowly.

"I can run faster than you think," he said, his face mirroring his inner hurt.

"Clark, not that fast… not with the shape this bomb is in. We can't move it. I really think any jostling will set the thing off."

"Since when did you become an expert…?"

I whacked him on the shoulder to get his attention. This really wasn't the time for his whiny adolescent boy to come out. "It's unwieldy and those wires look like I could push them off with my finger. We don't know anything about bombs, so to move it could be disastrous. And we don't have time." I looked at the bomb and finally noticed the telltale green glow. I looked closer and sighed. "Plus, you're not going to be able to touch that thing. It's got kryptonite in it."

"But I don't feel anyth…" he leaned forward and I saw his veins bulging.

I pushed him back. "This isn't the time for stupid heroics. Get back…" I also needed some space so I could think. He was my kryptonite… I could hardly concentrate when he was around sometimes.

It was a subtle thing and, at first, I had written it off like I had caught some of Clark's attitude. But I felt this strong determination welling up inside of me that I knew that I was the solution. I had finally accepted the fact that I had been given powers that were the only way to handle the situation. It gave me this warm feeling to know that I actually did have an ultimate purpose… even if it meant dying in the pursuit of the safety of the world.

"Chloe… Wha…?" Clark was looking at me in shock.

I cocked an eyebrow at him, but he seemed somehow out of focus. "What's the problem? Why are you looking at me like that?" He had his hands up to shield his face and I couldn't help but feel that he was being weirdly overdramatic. "We have to be serious, Clark," I demanded, my hands automatically finding my hips.

He just shook his head for a moment and backed away a little. "Chloe, you're putting off a lot of heat here. What's going on with you?"

I looked around me and realized that I was putting off a golden glow of something. _Great time for another power to rear its head_, I thought sourly. I pushed my hands toward the bomb and saw the metal actually soften. I wondered how I didn't notice and I why I wasn't burning up. I tried to damp down the heat output, but nothing seemed to be working. "I don't know how to turn it off," I admitted slowly.

"We have to get you out of here!" Clark shouted over a mysterious roar. It took me a minute to realize it was the roar of a fire… caused by me.

An epiphany hit me in the face like a sledgehammer. "This is how we can stop it."

Clark just looked at me blankly until horror crossed his handsome face. "Chloe, you can't…"

I just shook my head. "Clark, I don't know how to turn it off and to run me through the city would make everything around us burst into flames." I shrugged wryly. "I guess there's a reason why I'm considered the Sun Goddess." I laughed, but it seemed strained.

"But the bomb…" He tried to reach for me, but the heat seemed too much for him. _So much for invulnerability_, I thought with a smile.

"The sun is a gigantic nuclear reactor. It makes sense." I smiled at him, a little sadly. He was so used to saving everyone, but now it was my turn and he didn't know how to handle it. "Besides, it's my trial… The PTB wouldn't have set it on me if they didn't think I could handle it."

"Are you f… Dam… Chloe, you can't! I won't let you!" I'd never seen Clark look quite so helpless and I found it really sad for him. I could actually feel tears coursing down my cheeks and evaporating on contact with my skin.

"There's nothing that can be done… Nothing you can do."

"I can't lose you! I lo…"

I held up my hand, wincing. If he said it now, I would never know if it was because he thought I was going to die. I wasn't sure either, but I didn't want to die wondering if Clark really meant it. "Clark, stop. You can tell me whatever you'd like after this is done, but you have a job to do."

He looked crushed, but I knew that I'd caught his attention. "What do you mean?"

"Duh! Warehouse district… Sun appearing in the middle of it… You have to make sure that Coast City doesn't burst into flames. You have to make sure that the consequences are contained in this one building."

"Are you saying I have to leave you?" He had his stubborn look on again and as much as I wanted his company and wanted to relent, he was needed. Not only to save this one city, but to save the world if this did turn out to be too much for me.

"You don't have a choice. If you're here, you're toast for sure. Besides…" I walked toward him and he stumbled away. "Exactly. And I'm kinda' holding some of it back. You can't stay here for this. You can't help me. But you can help everyone else while I'm doing my job." I turned back to the bomb knowing I couldn't look at him anymore and still stay strong. "Clark, you have to go… Now!"

It was silent for a minute and I was relieved that he stopped fighting me on this. But then I felt a hand on my shoulder and was whirled around. Clark stood before me, looking at me with a mysterious look on his face. I tried with all my might to damp down some of my heat before he was consumed in it. He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me hard. If I hadn't already been close to being in flames, this would have done it. I'd never experienced anything like this before and I could feel what Clark had been trying to say before. I kissed him back, running my fingers through his hair, and clasping him to me.

Finally he broke away… probably a darn good thing considering our timeline. "Chloe, do one thing for me," he gasped.

I saw his skin reddening and knew he had to get away from me as soon as possible. "Anything," I said with my heart in my eyes.

"Fight… Fight for me…" He backed away slowly and I could see the flames consuming his clothes. It would have been funny except for I had no desire to laugh. His skin color was turning to normal as he backed away and then he dashed out of the room.

Never before had anything been harder than it was to turn back to that bomb. Suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to hear that he loved me and to have him hear me say it as well. After all, neither of us knew what was going to happen. Sure, I'd saved him, but I didn't tell him… tell him how much he meant to me and why I'd held back for so long… But it was too late now. To even whisper it into the ether where he might hear would only distract the both of us. I walked closer to the bomb and could actually see the extraneous wiring melt away.

I let go and I could see the wood parts in the building start to catch fire. I shook my head in dismay. How could I possibly be expected to control this type of destructive power? I wasn't even certain that this would work for sure.

"_Of course it won't work_," that nagging voice in my head mocked me. "_Why would you standing in front of a nuclear bomb before it's about to go off save the world? You're just going to get yourself killed… all for nothing._"

The mental words ripped through me like a knife. "That's not true," I shouted in agony. For some reason it felt better to shout out my response rather than internalize it even further. I knew it was my nemesis, but they seemed to hold more power coming from my own mind.

"_It certainly is true_," he thought with a laugh that chilled me to my bones. I could feel my indecision and my confidence wavering and with it, so too were the flames receding. I tried to intensify, but it only made a minimal bit of difference. He seemed to feel my weaknesses and pressed them. "_You're going to die here… Everyone that you love is going to die with your failure here. Pete… Your dad… Clark… Everyone. You should just save yourself…_"

But with each word, the faces of those I loved seemed to swim before me. Pete helping me with any project that I ever needed him for, no questions asked… Dad watching his stupid football games, but putting his arm around me so we could watch them together… And Clark… Finally, I could feel my confidence returning with full force. "Get out of my mind, you leech!" I said softly and was surprised at the menace I heard. Wow! I was really getting into it. "You think you know me so well, but you don't know anything. I would rather die here than let you win… let alone let my family be hurt because I'm a pansy."

"_But it's a forgone conclusion…_" He sounded uncertain and with that, I knew I'd won. It didn't matter if I died here. I could stop this bomb and save the world, which would automatically defeat him.

I gathered all of my strength and imagined the hallway of doors that I had in the field just that afternoon. I could see one gaping open and saw the cloud from my last PTB dream hovering just inside of it. "You will get out of my mind," I shouted and imagined pushing the cloud back through the door. Then I slammed the door shut and set fire to it. I thought I could hear a distant screaming somewhere and felt a great deal of satisfaction when the door fell to ashes in that imagiscape.

I thought about Clark and how he was my rock. I knew that for him, I would do anything… dare anything. And then it was like a montage of Clark was passing before my eyes. Clark during our aborted Prom date… Clark bending over me to look at my computer screen… Clark during the movie on our date… Clark just before he left… With each passing image, my determination grew and I could feel a steel core develop within myself… and could actually feel the fire within getting hotter.

I was relieved and realized that I actually _could_ do this. But then I heard the timer go off and I felt like everything tripped into slow motion. I could feel the irradiated material fighting to escape its encasement. I almost panicked because I didn't know how I was supposed to contain it. I knew that I was the personification of the power of the Sun, but what did that mean and how was I supposed to handle the energies before me?

Just as I felt myself begin to despair, a great sense of peace descended over me. I couldn't really figure out what it was from, but I suddenly had a perfect knowledge that I was loved. And how could I possibly despair knowing that? It was with that sense of peace and love that the knowledge of how to save everyone just seemed to surface in my mind.

My smile nearly busted my jaw. I had won… It was absolutely a given now. It didn't matter if I didn't survive. Everyone and everything I loved would. I stoked up my internal heat and then… Well, it would be hard to explain, really. For want of a better explanation, it was like I was breathing in the toxins… drawing it into every pore in my body. Then I imagined taking those toxins and stoking them in my internal fire to burn them up.

As "easy" as that may sound, it took all of my concentration. I was peripherally aware that the entire warehouse was in flames… that my clothes were literally burning off my body… that my skin was shining and had taken on an ethereal translucence… I could feel my heat output increasing with the additional fuel and I was struggling to contain it. I felt an indescribably pressure building and cleaning the surrounding area became more difficult as time progressed. I could see the metal girders melting and raining liquid metal down on me… but it never actually hit me. It evaporated at a certain distance where the waves of heat from me were visible. If I dwelt on the amount of heat inside and outside of me, I might have lost concentration, so I sort of ignored it.

Somehow, I was able to set my purification efforts on automatic. Then I struggled to set a limit on the destruction. My mind boggled at the thought of me saving the Northern Hemisphere, but I also knew without a shadow of a doubt that if I couldn't control the energy and destruction, I would take out Coast City… if not all of Kansas. And that wasn't even considering that the love of my life was racing around outside of the now barely recognizable warehouse. I imagined a restraining bubble to contain the heat and the toxins still left to try and protect everything. It was taking all of my efforts, but I could see the destruction lessening outside of my imagined bubble. I felt myself being lifted off the ground, but I couldn't spare the effort to imagine myself back on the ground. It felt like I was literally being pressed in on all sides with an unimaginable force but also being pulled apart. The pain was incredible and I screamed in reaction. Unfortunately, it didn't help at all… the pain just increased with every passing moment.

My mind started screaming at me to stop the madness, but I was determined. How could I leave this job of all jobs half done? I set all my powers in automatic because I wasn't sure how much I could hold out. With my last breath, I would get this job done, but I was fairly certain I would lose consciousness before that last breath. It was nice that I realized that I didn't have to be conscious to direct my powers. That early morning floating session finally showed its benefits. I couldn't explain how I told my body to shut off all my powers when all the toxins were cleared. I prayed that I would have the strength to finish the job before I joined my sisters. As if my mere thought summoned them, I thought I could see them standing transparently in front of me and I smiled… but there was no time to know for sure before everything… went… dark…

_**A/N:** How cruel would it be to end here? Muwhahahahahaha! Nah… Not that evil. Needed at least 10 more "haha"s before I'm that evil! ;D_

_And did you notice that I put Coast City in Kansas… when it's a landlocked state? LOL! I think I've decided that instead of changing it, I'm going to say that it's on the coast of the Missouri river and that it was Kansas's tongue-in-cheek naming._

_Tritium: That is a good thought about the plot device… I'd been considering it as well. I hope you were happy to see it included._

_carcassi: I'm so glad to hear from you again! Yea! Personally, I've always liked Chloe and Clark as a team. Why they don't write more of it, I'll never understand. As it is, the exchange while they were breaking into LuthorCorp during "Mortal" – Season 5, Episode 2. The bantering between C & C were PRICELESS!_

_spaceboi's pixie: No worries about a sequel. I'm trying to think of a new crisis for them to deal with. This first incarnation really was about Chloe learning about her powers and such more than the end crisis. We still have to discover who the Big Bad is (which is a reason why I should do a sequel to "What's Up in Smallville"… Oh no! I'm going to be in Sequel Purgatory!) and she hasn't finished growing into her own. However, I'm right in the midst of another story, so I'll get to outlining the next incarnations as soon as I'm able._

_markmark261: I'm contemplating your suggestion and it's not one I hadn't thought of before. But I'm so glad you're liking it and I LOVE that you nitpick me! ;D And "gave me a happy" is a slang term… I'm not sure where it originated, but I'm leaning towards "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." It's a sensual pleasure term._

_MacGateFan: Thanks for your support… as always! ;D_

_iluvsmallville1: Gracias, mi amigo! Writing tips… Hmmm… Write what you love… what you're interested in. That really can give your stuff that added spark it may need. Personally, I always love to have some bit of humor. Also, write in your own voice. I know that sounds silly and that you do need to drop into character, but you also need to write like they would say it. Does that make sense? I read my stuff and sometimes I see myself yelling from the pages. It's quite funny. (I did see that you updated your HP fic. I've been intending to read it, but haven't gotten that far yet… I will, though!)_

_BabyC2003: My biggest fear right now is the Jimmy Olsen character they're insisting on introducing. Has no one else noticed that the actor's TWIN has already played a villain on the series? Do they really expect that Chloe's character wouldn't notice? OK, I'm done ranting… for now._


	21. Chapter 20

_**A/N:** You have an epilogue after this one, but this is it. ;D_**

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Chapter 20

I have no idea how long I was in that dark emptiness, but my mind slowly came back to itself. My eyes fluttered open, but absolutely nothing was clear. As I continued to blink, my sight cleared slightly. Everything was surrounded by that glow I'd last seen in my "interviews" with the PTB. I had to sigh because it seemed that I actually _had_ died and I knew that it would absolutely crush my dad.

Almost as soon as my sigh escaped my lips, the light was slightly blocked and I knew that someone was leaning over me. "Chloe?" came an unexpected but oh so familiar voice.

Tears sprang to my eyes. I'd failed him. Somehow I had killed my invulnerable Clark. The only good thing was that the tears did seem to help and Clark came into better focus. "Clark," I wailed, "I'm so sorry!"

He looked really worried and anxious, but I wasn't surprised. Clark was always unnerved by tears. He grabbed my hand and I was glad to realize I could _feel_ in the afterlife. "Chloe, what are you talking about?"

I didn't answer for a moment because I realized that something odd was happening to my sight. The glow was receding as everything became clearer. I was able to focus beyond Clark and noticed the wood beams on a rough ceiling. I focused on Clark again and gasped, "We're not dead?"

Clark laughed… a little strained, perhaps, but filled with relief. "To be honest, I wasn't sure at first. When the warehouse practically disintegrated around you, I was finally able to see. You looked like a broken doll held up on a string surrounded by light and fire. I could barely make you out. But then you just dropped to the ground and everything… turned off, I guess."

I could only gape at him. It was nearly impossible for me to acknowledge that I _wasn't_ dead and my mind was casting about for _anything_ I could intelligently comment on. I looked down and realized that I only had a blanket on. I shrieked and sat straight up, clutching it to me. "What happened to my clothes?"

Clark blushed hotly and had trouble meeting my eyes… but, I was gratified to realize, he didn't let go of my hand. "I have no idea. When you dropped, you were in a crater of molten concrete… totally naked… and the sirens were getting closer… and I didn't know if you were dead or not… and I couldn't let them see you like that… I had to get you out of there…"

I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. As much as I may have wanted to get naked with Clark, I wanted to be awake while it was happening… maybe sucked in my tummy or something… Then I gasped. "Clark, **_please_** tell me you didn't race across Kansas with me buck naked…"

His face flamed even hotter, but his eyes seemed to have a glimpse of defensiveness. "Was I supposed to go shopping for something while you could have been discovered? Besides… no one could have possibly seen you!"

He was right, of course, but it didn't lessen my mortification. At least he _was_ super-fast and the trip _may_ have taken five minutes to complete. I sighed. "You're right, Clark. Sorry for freaking out…"

He smiled. "I'd have the same problem, so no worries. But I brought you directly here…" His face paled and he swallowed hard. "I wasn't sure… I didn't know…" I patted his hand and he took a deep breath. "I could tell you were still breathing but…"

I had to admit it now. All barriers were down and I was emotionally, as well as physically, naked before him. I couldn't brush this off with my usual bravado. "I _did_ think I wasn't going to make it. When the plan hit my head, I was sure I wasn't going to survive it."

"You almost didn't," he admitted, looking pained. "I have never been so scared… All I could think was that I should have done something… _anything_… even just staying by your side…!"

I would have tried to assuage his sense of guilt, but a huge sense of Presence made itself felt and I knew I needed to concentrate on that other than Clark's ever-present guilt. I glanced at him and noticed that his eyes had widened and he was looking around as well. _Well, that's something new!_ I thought wryly.

"_You have both done a fabulous job during this trial,_" the PTB's familiar voice rang out. In fact, it felt like it was vibrating throughout the entire barn.

"Sheesh!" I exclaimed testily. "Tone it down, wouldja?"

"_No one but you and Clark can hear me, but I will attempt to 'tone it down' as you put it._" His voice did decrease in its intensity and I nodded in appreciation.

I had to smirk. "So I guess this means I've graduated from the fainting communications?" Clark looked at me in shock and I could have laughed. He _never_ would have talked to a person of authority like that.

"_Yes,_" he said wryly. "_You have transcended the need for that cruder and more inconvenient method of communication. But Clark also deserves to hear our congratulations on a job well done._"

"Thank you, sir," Clark said and I could tell that he was restraining himself from either a bow or a salute. Somehow I managed to hold in my smile.

"_Clark has been a superb partner for you, Chloe. You chose extremely well._" The PTB seemed to be semi-surprised that I'd managed to make that kind of choice.

This time, I let loose and started to laugh. "Of course Clark Kent is the best choice. He's the best choice for many things…" I almost laughed harder as Clark looked embarrassed but pleased and the PTB let the silence drag on. I, of course, interpreted that as embarrassment on his part. But I decided to give him some slack. "Will all the missions you send me on be like this?"

"_Unfortunately, no,_" the PTB said grimly. "_Sometimes they will be much, much worse._" Clark and I looked at each other in horror. Worse? Worse than me almost dying?

The feeling of a Presence died away and I knew that our latest interview was over. I looked over at Clark and smiled. "Do you think I could borrow a shirt or something?"

He blushed again and that made me happy. How bad could the world possibly be with such sweet innocence being willing to lay down his life to protect others? He whisked away and I contemplated what would happen next. I was going to have to do a lot of practicing… and deciding who to trust with my latest secret. It wasn't going to be easy, but with Clark by my side, I was willing to face it all._**

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A/N: Well, it's been an interesting ride. I have lots of requests for a sequel, so I'll be working on that. If you have any ideas, that's always welcome. ;D

_iluvsmallville1: I understand about being too busy to write. It's a tough activity, but I can't imagine my life without it. I know my family isn't surprised because I'm always the novel letter writer! ;D I'm sorry you've been depressed, but perhaps it's just that time of year. I've had a bad couple of weeks myself… but I'm feeling better. Sometimes it's all about taking some time and giving yourself a break. You want to feel better, but it doesn't always happen so quickly. ;D_

_MacGateFan: Well, how was the next to the last chapter? I will tell you that I'll be working on a sequel after I outline the "What's Up in Smallville?" trilogy and outline some of my ideas… but I'm always open to suggestions! ;D_

_carcassi: I'm evil… What can I say? ;D You're right that the PTB of "Smallville" had written of Coast City in Kansas, but doesn't that seem silly? ;D You know, living in the Pacific Northwest, I'll tell you that I'm tempted to go up into B.C. and find their location. That would totally make my day!_

_BabyC2003: I'm not holding my breath about Jimmy, but I'm willing to give it an open mind. After all, that's what I had to do for "Thirst"!_

_Cherri202: Well, I don't have the specific definition, but it's my understanding that a landlocked state is one that is not bordered at all by an ocean or sea or bay or something. It's all those middle states. They may have water, but they don't have a "coast", ya' know?_

_markmark261: Oh my! Look at all those errors! I should be spanked! ;D However, while making the changes, my Word copy had a lot of them. Maybe there was a problem saving the changes on the site. Hmmm… I definitely felt that her solar power did make Clark stronger and is one of the things that is attracting them to each other. However, Clark's still working into his powers. I figured, the high heat might hurt him a bit by being **so** close to it. ;D_


	22. Epilogue

_**A/N:** I know I left ya'll hanging. Even towards the end, the "Big Bad" just wouldn't reveal itself to me. But the adventure isn't over… not by a long shot. This will be a **very short** chapter… which is what epilogues should be! ;D_

_Also, a quick thank you for all those that have reviewed so quickly. I am surprised and gratified, so this is your reward… ;D_

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Epilogue

On the screen before him played an improbable scene of fire and destruction. An entire warehouse had practically disappeared within fifteen minutes while only minimal damage was sustained by the surrounding buildings. By the time any emergency crews were able to get there, nothing was left of the building but what appeared to be a large crater of some sort. He played the scene over and over, looking for anything he might have missed and cursing that the quality of the video wasn't better. If it had been anyone else, they might have realized that there could be no possible way of improvement from a sub-standard surveillance camera that had been installed across the street.

He started the video again at the beginning. What seemed like an ordinary night had been marred by two black-clothed individuals entering the warehouse. Then one of them left and chaos started almost immediately thereafter. Smoke began pouring out of the windows of the building and it was obvious a fire of some magnitude had been ignited within. Within two minutes or less, the warehouse was engulfed in flames that were entirely abnormal in the rate of consumption of what had essentially been an empty, tin-sided warehouse.

He paused at the moment when the building seemed to disappear in a ball of flame. He used the slow feature to watch the scene unfold clip by clip to see if perhaps he had missed anything. After the ball of fire appeared, it abruptly disappeared. He stopped the playback again as the scene went nearly entirely dark and zoomed in as far as he was able. Floating in the air at nearly the exact center of the previous position of the warehouse, a pale something floated for a moment before dropping to the ground.

He slammed his fist on the table at the poor quality of the video and began typing into a video enhancement program. He tapped his fingers against the desk as he waited impatiently for the program to do its thing. He was more accustomed to immediate results from his underlings and his technology, so the wait was irritating him. He rose from his desk and got a glass of brandy. When he heard the tone informing him the program was done, he returned to his desk and looked at the image. What he saw had him immediately on the phone.

"Saunders, have your crew enhance every frame of the video you provided me. I want to know who the two figures in black were and I want to know now!" He paused to listen to the response and anger was practically exploding out of him. His voice was cold with menace as he began to speak again. "Don't give me any excuses. If this is the only documentation of the incident, I accept that, but you _**will**_ find out the identities of the two figures in black… especially the smaller of the two. You have 48 hours… and you know the results of failure."

As he hung up his phone, his eyes were glued to his computer screen. The pale spot in the video hadn't been debris or white hot metal like most had concluded. A woman's figure of unsurpassed beauty and sensuality hung there naked crowned with a head of nearly flaming blonde hair. Something in his soul stirred and he knew that he had to make that person his own.

Disturbed at such unreasoning passion, he turned and looked out of the window of his mansion. He had lost much in the destruction of his warehouse and what had resided within, but apparently he could gain even more. If the creature in the video was able to survive such destruction, she may be the key to all of his future plans.

He turned back to his computer to finish the video. He watched her drop to the ground and groaned at the thought of that perfect skin being marred in any way. But she only lay there for a moment before she was whisked away in a dark blur. Apparently, she wasn't the only one that was special in that scene… He enhanced frame after frame where the dark streak was in the camera's range, but all he was able to see was frame after frame of dark blur.

Another puzzle in Kansas. He didn't know why he was surprised. In his entire life, everything of true import and power seemed to happen in this state. To be honest, he was more surprised that it hadn't happened in Smallville. He rubbed his bald head and muttered absentmindedly, "Who are you people?"

**_

* * *

A/N:__ Well, this is the end. What do you think? One of my better creations (or modifications considering this idea was original created by Kent Charm) or have I done better? Should I consider a sequel? Why? I've set it up for one, but that doesn't mean I _****have** to do it! Muwahahahahahaha! 

A/N: 

_Thank you for all of your kind reviews. I've really come to depend on them!_

_iluvsmallville1: Honey, I'm sorry you're not feeling well. Where I am, I'm blaming any cold or "illness" on the weather! ;D I know… The thought of Clark seeing Chloe in the altogether was just too much to resist!_

_markmark261: What:O Nothing? No grammar mistakes that I'd have to kick myself for? It's a MIRACLE! ;D (I'm glad you liked it. What about the Epilogue? Too much?)_

_BabyC2003: Well, if I was one of the writers… Nah, just kidding. ;D I'm glad you've enjoyed this one!_


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